ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday spoke with his American counterpart Donald Trump on the phone, highlighting Ankara’s efforts to establish peace in Gaza and stressing the need for Israel to halt its attacks on the Strip.

A statement released by the Turkish Presidency on the call said that Erdogan underscored Turkey’s “intensive efforts in order for peace and calm to prevail in the entire region, first and foremost in Gaza,” voicing his country’s “pleasure over the initiatives to that end.”

The Turkish president asserted “they will continue to contribute to the global peace vision,” noting that for peace initiatives to succeed, it is important that “Israel ends its attacks” on the Gaza Strip.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday announced their agreement on a peace plan for the Gaza Strip, soon entering its third year of Israeli military occupation.

Consisting of 20 points, the Trump-proposed plan would see an immediate ceasefire, the phased withdrawal of the Israeli military from the Strip, and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, before progressing into a longer-term security plan that involves the disarmament of the Palestinian militant group.

Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal.

Trump on Friday set up a deadline for Hamas to agree to the proposed plan, stating that if the group does not make an agreement by Sunday, 6:00 pm (Washington time), “all hell, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas.”

Earlier on Friday, a Hamas official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that the Palestinian group is still “continuing consultations” regarding the Trump proposal, adding that they have informed mediators that the consultations "need some time."

Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed over 66,000 people, most of whom are civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry, with growing international backlash, perhaps most salient in a torrent of recognition of Palestinian statehood by Western countries in recent times, placing pressure on Israel and its allies to bring a halt to the bloodshed.