Is Israel edging toward accepting Turkish troops in Gaza?

As mediators push to advance talks on a second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, Israel may be edging towards accepting a Turkish role in the enclave, but only under strict political conditions imposed on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Israeli media.

The Israeli daily Maariv reported on Tuesday that Israel could agree to Turkish participation in an international force in Gaza, provided Ankara tones down Erdogan's sharply critical rhetoric towards Israel.

The report said political pressure over the "day after" in Gaza is mounting ahead of a planned meeting next week between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump in Florida.

Citing unnamed officials familiar with the discussions, Maariv said recent days had seen intense behind-the-scenes pressure from mediators, with a clear Turkish and Qatari push aimed at forcing Israel to accept Ankara's inclusion in a proposed international force for Gaza.

According to the officials, even if Trump has appeared to accept Israel's veto on Turkey, mediators have not backed down.

Closed-door discussions reportedly suggest Trump was seeking arrangements that would allow him to present political progress and regional stability, and is expected, at least initially, to push for Turkish involvement framed as symbolic or limited.

Israeli officials were quoted as warning that the issue was highly sensitive for Israel, which views Turkey under Erdogan as a problematic regional actor.

Allowing Turkish forces into Gaza, they said, could be interpreted as crossing a "red line", reflecting Israel's long-standing opposition to the presence of Turkish troops in the enclave.

At the same time, Israeli political sources pointed to practical obstacles in forming a "genuine" multinational force capable of assuming responsibility on the ground.

They said the lack of willingness among influential states to deploy troops to Gaza has left the entire idea stalled, while attempts to "bring Turkey in so that others will follow" were described as a risky gamble for Israel.

Israeli officials believe Netanyahu is unlikely to arrive at his meeting with Trump with an outright refusal, in order to avoid a direct confrontation with the US president.

Instead, he is expected to pursue a carefully calibrated position that allows him to say "yes, but", according to the report.

Conditions for lifting the veto

According to Israeli assessments cited by Maariv, Israel could agree to lift its veto on Turkey under clear political conditions.

These would include a public or diplomatic clarification from Erdogan regarding his past statements, including comparisons he has drawn between Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler, as well as visible signs of a shift in Ankara's stance from confrontational rhetoric to a more conciliatory tone.

Israeli officials said the message Israel intends to convey to Trump is straightforward: as long as Ankara continues to "speak like Iran", Israel cannot agree to a Turkish presence in Gaza.

Conversely, if the US president were to lead a political "reconciliation" process resulting in a tangible change in Turkey's position and a softening of Erdogan's language, Netanyahu could argue that Israel is not retreating, but securing a strategic return in the form of altered regional dynamics.

The report also noted that closed-door discussions have raised the possibility of Trump linking Turkish participation in Gaza to a broader package of Israeli interests.

One scenario under consideration involves Trump offering Israel support in other arenas in exchange for flexibility on the Turkish file.

Israeli officials stressed that no final decisions have been taken, but said the upcoming Netanyahu–Trump meeting could turn the issue into a high-stakes political test between Tel Aviv and Washington.