Ankara, December 14 (QNA) - Israel has a plan to depopulate the Gaza Strip of the Palestinians, and the only thing that could inhibit this attempt is the deployment of an international force to operate in the Strip, ensure the security of the two parties, and maintain calm, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during a televised interview on Turkiye's TV Net channel, published Sunday by Anadolu Agency.
Fidan noted Turkiye's efforts to stop genocide in Gaza and uphold an enduring ceasefire through a peace deal, stressing that his country has undertaken intensive efforts with respect to Gaza.
A ceasefire had been reached there, but as it has unfolded today, the ceasefire is constantly being violated, and its environment remains fragile, he pointed out.
Fidan further explained that the specifics, such as the countries involved and the number of troops for the planned International Stabilization Force (ISF) to be deployed in Gaza, are being weighed, with discussions underway regarding its location and primary mission based on the UN Security Council resolution.
On Nov. 18, the UNSC endorsed, with an overwhelming majority, a US draft resolution on terminating the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip, which allows for establishing an interim international force until the end of 2027.
Accordingly, Fidan stressed that the ISF's foremost mission is to delineate a separate line between Israel and the Palestinians to prevent the occurrence of reciprocal attacks.
Israel, as one of the parties, is entitled to select the future forces just as the Palestinians are, and this right is exercised through the US, Fidan noted, calling for a force that ends Israel's occupation and injustice in Gaza, ensures the flow of humanitarian aid, and guarantees the safety and continued presence of Palestinians in Gaza immediately.
The two-year genocide Israel unleashed on Oct. 8, 2023, killed over 70,000 Palestinians and left over 171,000 injured. It was ended by a ceasefire deal that entered into force last October, but Israel breached this deal hundreds of times, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Palestinians. (QNA)