Turkey told the United States that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not attend Monday’s Gaza peace summit in Egypt, a Turkish official told CNN Türk, amid speculation that the Israeli leader’s possible participation had raised concern among Muslim leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
CNN Türk cited a senior Turkish official as saying Ankara conveyed to Washington that Netanyahu’s participation in the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace would be “unacceptable.” The station reported that speculation over the Israeli leader’s attendance led Erdoğan and several other Muslim heads of state to consider boycotting the gathering.
Journalist Hande Fırat, also reporting for CNN Türk, said she had confirmed the stance with a “very senior source,” adding that Turkey issued a clear diplomatic message to the United States.
“Turkey made its position very clear,” Fırat said. “If Netanyahu were there, it would have been unthinkable for the Turkish delegation to appear in the same picture.”
Ankara has not officially confirmed the reported warning to Washington, nor has the White House commented. Israel later announced that Netanyahu would not attend, citing the overlap of the meeting with a Jewish holiday.
A Turkish diplomatic source also told Agence France-Presse that at the initiative of President Erdoğan and through Turkey’s diplomatic efforts and with the support of other leaders, Netanyahu did not attend the meeting in Egypt.
The summit, co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, brings together more than 20 world leaders on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire, reached between Israel and Hamas last week, and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees.
Erdoğan’s flight drew speculation
The Serbestiyet news outlet also reported on Monday that Erdoğan’s plane briefly circled over the Red Sea before landing in Sharm el-Sheikh after Turkish officials learned mid-flight of a possible Israeli invitation.
Citing the state-run Anadolu new agency, Serbestiyet said Erdoğan’s aircraft “passed over the runway” at Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport and “waited over the Red Sea for a period of time” before touching down.
Shortly after Netanyahu’s office announced his withdrawal, Erdoğan’s plane landed, Serbestiyet said. Neither Ankara nor Cairo has commented on the reports.
Ragıp Soylu, Turkey bureau chief for Middle East Eye, wrote on X that “after the reports that Netanyahu would be coming to Egypt, Erdoğan’s plane bypassed the runway in Sharm el-Sheikh. The plane landed after Netanyahu’s office said he wasn’t coming.”
Columnist and policy analyst Aslı Aydıntaşbaş said Netanyahu’s absence “might not be chickening out,” noting that he is not necessarily welcomed by everyone. She said Erdoğan “turned his plane around at the news Netanyahu might be attending — only landed with assurances that it won’t happen.”
Netanyahu’s cancellation of his appearance at Sharm might not be chickening out. I am not sure Netanyahu is welcomed by everyone. Erdogan turned his plane around at the news Netanyahu might be attending — and only landed with assurances that it won’t happen. https://t.co/XnzrFEv4qw
— asli aydintasbas (@asliaydintasbas) October 13, 2025
A vocal advocate of the Palestinian cause, including Hamas, Erdoğan has often attacked Israel, branding Prime Minister Netanyahu the “butcher of Gaza” and comparing him to Nazi Germany’s Adolf Hitler.
Erdoğan’s arrival and summit agenda
Erdoğan was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Director İbrahim Kalın, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Akif Çağatay Kılıç, Erdoğan’s chief adviser on foreign policy and security, during his visit to Egypt.
Erdoğan is attending the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit for Peace at the invitation of el-Sisi and Trump. The meeting focuses on the ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of detainees.
Egypt’s foreign ministry said Sunday that a “document ending the war in the Gaza Strip” would be signed during the “historic” event, while diplomatic sources said the US, Egypt, Qatar and possibly Turkey would sign a separate guarantee document.
Hamas is not represented at the summit, though Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is attending. Turkish media report that Erdoğan is expected to participate in the signing ceremony of the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement and have bilateral meetings with other leaders on the sidelines.