Middle East: German FM in Turkey with Gaza in focus – DW – 10/17/2025

The German foreign minister is holding high-level and potentially tricky talks in Turkey today.

Johann Wadephul has said he wants to discuss the next steps of the Gaza peace deal when he meets his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. With that, Germany expects Turkey to continue to apply pressure to Hamas to disarm. 

In return, Turkey will no doubt look to Germany for help.

Ankara is keen to be part of the European Union’s SAFE program — which would allow Turkey’s burgeoning military industry to tap into some €150 billion ($175.5 billion) in new defense spending. Greece is threatening to veto over territorial concerns.

Wadephul has said he will discuss what steps Turkey can take to pave the way to closer cooperation between Turkey and the EU. 

DW’s political correspondent Matthew Moore is reporting from Turkey on German Foreign Minister Wadephul’s talks.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany can play a role in improving ties between Israel and Turkey.

Wadephul is visiting Turkey and will meet his local counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

“I see a defining role for Germany in reestablishing understanding and a common level between Israel and Turkey,” Wadephul told reporters on the plane as he was making his way to Ankara.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated during the two-year war in Gaza, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan likening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and accusing Israel of committing genocide.

An international team of military experts will enter the Gaza Strip in a bid to locate the bodies of hostages, reports in Israel say.

According to Israel’s Channel 13, the team includes members from the US, Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, and will work with intelligence given to it by Israel regarding the potential location of the bodies.

As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group has committed to returning all the hostages it holds, both living and deceased. 

While the 20 living hostages were returned to Israel on Monday, Hamas has only returned the bodies of nine of the 28 remaining hostages, with the group claiming it needs time to locate the bodies due to the destruction in Gaza.

Israel has accused Hamas of moving too slow in returning the bodies.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is in Turkey on Friday for talks with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, as well as other Turkish government representatives

The discussions are set to cover a wide range of issues, including the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and supporting progress on the next steps of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire plan. 

“There is great potential for cooperation in foreign policy” between Turkey and Germany, a Foreign Ministry statement seen by DW said. 

“In the Middle East conflict, Turkey contributed to the historic ceasefire in Gaza through its role as mediator. As one of the supporters of the peace plan — and as a state that we expect to continue to exert pressure on Hamas — Turkey has a responsible role to play,” it added. 

Israel said on Thursday that it was preparing to reopen the Rafah crossing with Egypt, but has set no date for the reopening.

Speaking to reporters in Naples, Italy, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he “hoped” the crossing would be opened as soon as Sunday.

Israel has previously said the opening of the crossing would only permit people to enter and exit the Gaza Strip, and would not allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Once Rafah is reopened, humanitarian aid will be rerouted and continue to cross into Gaza following security checks at the Kerem Shalom crossing to the southeast, said a spokesman for COGAT, the Israeli Defense Ministry agency tasked with providing logistical assistance to Palestinian territories.

The West Midlands police have banned supporters of Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending their club’s Europa League away game at Birmingham-based club Aston Villa, citing security concerns.

Read all about it here. 

Our coverage of the Middle East this Friday starts off with Germany’s foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, visiting Turkey.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry has said the Gaza ceasefire deal will take center stage.

Elsewhere, reports in Israel suggest an international team of military personnel will start operating in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to find the bodies of deceased hostages.

Stay here for all the latest news involving the Middle East.