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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli forces are eroding trust in the international system and again called for a fair political settlement to the conflict.

Speaking at the opening of the 9th Istanbul Mediation Conference at a hotel in Istanbul, Fidan warned that rising global insecurity, spreading conflicts and their humanitarian toll are testing the international order's ability to respond.

Growing global insecurity and its humanitarian cost

Fidan told the conference that the world is being tested by increasing global mistrust. Regions where peace had been accepted for many years are now facing armed conflict, he said, adding that multiple conflicts have continued to unfold in different parts of the world in recent years. Critical trade and maritime routes have been affected, and ceasefire violations have become routine, according to Fidan.

The humanitarian price of these conflicts is also rising, Fidan said, citing United Nations estimates that about one quarter of the world's population lives in conflict zones. A civilian dies every 12 minutes as a result of these conflicts, he said, and more than 100 million people have been forcibly displaced, around 40 percent of them children.

Calls for humanitarian access and a political solution in Palestine

Fidan said the consequences of the humanitarian tragedy are visible most clearly in Palestine, where the occupation in Gaza and the West Bank continues and goes unpunished. "The daily ceasefire violations by Israeli forces are eroding trust in the international system and creating mistrust in this regard," he said.

Humanitarian aid access and the protection of children in particular must be the priority, Fidan said, adding: "Within this framework, I want to state once again that this dispute can only be resolved through a fair political solution."

Dialogue, sustainable mediation and regional ownership

Turning to the peaceful settlement of conflicts, Fidan said the pace and scope of conflicts are testing the international system's capacity to respond and are transforming the international order. The outcome of that transformation is not yet clear, he said, and the choices made today will determine the path forward.

Fidan pointed to three principles for steering change toward peace and prosperity: sincere dialogue, sustainable mediation and regional ownership. Today's crises reveal a deeper problem, the loss of legitimacy of the international system, he said, citing comments by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that institutions and parties lose trust when rules are not applied properly.

Every conflict is rooted in its history, its actors and its own dynamics, Fidan said, and understanding them requires patience and flexibility. "If you cannot talk to the parties to a dispute, you cannot resolve it," he said, adding that channels must remain open and dialogue must continue even when progress is slow and fragile.

Fidan cited Turkey's roles in Russia-Ukraine talks, the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Ankara process between Somalia and Ethiopia as examples of that approach. Such practical gains show the value of sustainable mediation in keeping negotiations alive, he said, and lay the groundwork for a broader agreement.

Libya cited as an example of locally owned dialogue

Rebuilding trust is essential for mediation to work, Fidan said, explaining that mediation depends on the consent of the parties, mutual trust and inclusiveness. Turkey's efforts in Libya are an important example of how consent, mutual trust and inclusiveness can build confidence, he said.

"We believe a process owned by Libyans and based on sincere dialogue is the only way to a lasting solution," Fidan said. He said the approach would preserve calm and lead to a permanent settlement in Libya, which he hoped would be achieved in the nearer future, warning that disputes can turn into violence as long as positions harden.

Regional ownership and mediation as a strategic discipline

Stability cannot be imported and lasting solutions cannot be imposed from outside, Fidan said, arguing that the parties to a conflict must also play a role in resolving it. He pointed to the Mecca Defense Alliance and the Balkan Peace Platform as examples of that principle in practice. The Mecca Alliance was established to safeguard regional security, peace and prosperity, with a strong sense of regional ownership, he said, while the Balkan Peace Platform delivers practical solutions among Balkan countries.

Mediation becomes more effective when it brings together different viewpoints and stakeholders, allowing jointly shared solutions to be developed, Fidan said, and it requires partnership, fresh perspectives, and the expertise of international organizations and civil society working together.

"We must place mediation at the centre of our political strategy," Fidan said, adding that Turkey is working to turn mediation into a strategic discipline rather than simply a diplomatic tool, and has established the institutional structure to support it. Turkey's approach of sincere dialogue, sustainable engagement and regional ownership, he said, shows how such work can contribute to regional and global security.

Key takeaways

• Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said daily ceasefire violations by Israeli forces are eroding trust in the international system.
• He called humanitarian aid access and the protection of children in Palestine a priority and urged a fair political solution.
• Citing UN estimates, Fidan said about a quarter of the world's population lives in conflict zones and more than 100 million people are displaced.
• Fidan named sincere dialogue, sustainable mediation and regional ownership as the three principles guiding Turkey's approach.