Turkey’s Gaza Brigade Plan Risks Squeezing Israel on Two Fronts — JNS
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Summary:
Ankara is preparing a 2,000-strong brigade for an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire blueprint, while simultaneously issuing 37 arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials—including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—on alleged war crimes and genocide charges. The twin moves, coupled with a surge of Turkish humanitarian visibility in Gaza, are designed to expand Turkey’s influence, protect Hamas’s political relevance, and constrain Israel’s freedom of action, analysts say.
Ankara’s Moves Under Trump’s Gaza Plan
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Turkey says it is recruiting and training a brigade to join the ISF slated for Gaza deployment within Trump’s ceasefire framework.
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Days earlier, Turkish prosecutors sought arrest warrants for 37 Israeli officials on war-crimes and genocide allegations.
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Turkish and Palestinian aid groups have amplified Ankara’s presence across the Strip; Turkish flags and signage are visible on relief equipment and rubble-clearing operations.
Strategic Aims: Elevate Turkey, Box In Israel
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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seeks to parlay cooperation with the Trump plan into deeper Turkish presence and influence in Gaza.
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Ankara views Israel as its principal regional competitor—militarily, technologically, and economically—especially amid the Abraham Accords and the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor (IMEC).
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Backing Hamas and political Islam remains a lever for Turkey’s bid to lead Sunni constituencies; a Turkish footprint would help preserve Hamas as a relevant political actor.
The “Pincer” Scenario
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Analysts quoted by JNS argue that Turkish troops in Gaza, paired with Ankara’s leverage over Trump, could narrow Israel’s operational latitude against Hamas’s reconstruction.
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Israel’s caution about harming Turkish personnel could further restrict action.
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Combined with Turkish military posture in northern Syria, Ankara could attempt a two-front squeeze on Israel—south via Gaza, north via Syria.
Policy Responses Urged by Israel-Aligned Analysts
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Jerusalem should firmly oppose any Turkish military role in Gaza, JNS contends, and work closely with Washington to elevate Egypt–Saudi Arabia–UAE involvement as a counterweight.
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The analysis warns that if Erdoğan’s approach succeeds, Turkey could set the rules on Israel’s southern front through a dominant ISF role and civilian aid infrastructure.
Source: JNS / originally published by Israel Hayom.
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