Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a regional summit in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, and subsequent in-flight remarks to sharply criticise Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, warning that the Netanyahu government is turning the Middle East into a “bloodbath.” He said a recently agreed cease-fire between Iran and Israel “has opened a door for Gaza” and claimed Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated goodwill, while accusing Israel of violating previous truces. Erdogan added that he urged U.S. President Donald Trump during last month’s NATO leaders’ meeting in The Hague to press Israel for an immediate halt to the fighting and expanded humanitarian access. Ankara, he said, is working to ensure any new cease-fire holds. “Gaza has no time to lose; humanity is suffering,” the Turkish leader told reporters, reiterating that a two-state solution remains the only path to lasting peace. Turning to defence ties, Erdogan stated that Turkey’s prospective return to the U.S.-led F-35 fighter-jet programme is about strengthening alliances within NATO as much as modernising its air force. He voiced confidence that deliveries would resume gradually during Trump’s current term and dismissed Greek worries about the purchase as “baseless.” Erdogan also outlined a broad regional agenda. He said Turkey will not accept any arrangement that legitimises militant groups in Syria but is ready to establish free-trade zones and logistics hubs in the country’s north. He welcomed what he called Armenia’s “more flexible” stance on the proposed Zangezur Corridor and predicted a forthcoming Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal could unlock new economic opportunities across the South Caucasus. At the same time, he urged both Baku and Moscow to avoid escalation after recent bilateral frictions, saying Ankara is monitoring the situation closely.