Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan actively opposed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attendance at a high-level summit in Egypt, according to a senior Turkish official. Erdogan's government, which maintains ties with Hamas, coordinated diplomatic efforts that ultimately led to Netanyahu withdrawing from the meeting, which focused on supporting a ceasefire in Gaza. Erdogan was one of the signatories of a four-party declaration alongside leaders from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, and emphasized his refusal to share a summit table or photo frame with Netanyahu. Other leaders, including Iraq's prime minister, also threatened to withdraw if Netanyahu attended.

Erdogan hailed the summit's declaration as a major step toward ending what he called 'genocide' in Gaza, though he acknowledged the long road ahead for reconstruction and healing. Despite rumors, Erdogan's plane aborted its landing in Sharm el-Sheikh due to a runway issue, not as a form of protest.