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Israel shuts door on Turkey in Gaza as Trump praises Erdogan, plays down clash
Fox News ^ | Jan 3, 2026 | Efrat Lachter

Posted on 01/05/2026 3:46:41 AM PST by McGruff

Tensions between Israel and Turkey are rising amid competing visions for Gaza’s reconstruction and widening strategic friction in Syria, even as both countries remain embedded in a U.S.-led diplomatic framework following the ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel has made clear it will not allow Turkish armed forces to operate inside Gaza, viewing Ankara as a destabilizing actor despite its public efforts to present itself as a reconstruction partner. Turkish sources told Fox News Digital that Ankara does not seek to deploy troops in Gaza, instead focusing on humanitarian aid, infrastructure projects and political influence.

Dan Diker, president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, said Israel views Turkey as a strategic threat rather than a neutral actor.

"From Israel’s point of view, Turkey is the arsonist behaving like the firefighter in Gaza," Diker told Fox News Digital. "If Turkey is allowed to enter Gaza with several thousand armed men, you can guarantee that this Muslim Brotherhood country will destabilize Gaza and dismantle the very 20-point plan that President Trump has bet the farm on."

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Gaza; Israel; War on Terror
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1 posted on 01/05/2026 3:46:41 AM PST by McGruff
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