Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with a Hamas delegation on Tuesday, which included Muhammad Darwish, the head of Hamas’s Shura Council, according to a statement from Erdogan’s office.
Key Turkish Officials Present At Meeting
The meeting also included key Turkish figures such as Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization Chief Ibrahim Kalin, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Senior Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic, and Presidential Chief of Staff Hasan Dogan, the statement added.
Turkish President Erdogan Expresses Continued Support For Gaza
During the meeting, President Erdogan emphasized that Hamas’s “471-day struggle in Gaza” proved that the spirit of resistance would endure.
He assured the delegation that Turkey would continue to “expose realities in Gaza” and expressed hope that the ongoing ceasefire would be successfully upheld.
Erdogan has consistently voiced Turkey’s firm stance on the Palestinian cause and maintained communication with both Hamas and international players involved in the conflict.
Gaza Ceasefire & Hostage Exchange Progress
The meeting comes after a three-phase ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on January 19, ushering in six weeks of calm and raising hopes for an end to over 15 months of Israeli military actions that devastated Gaza. The ceasefire has also paved the way for the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas.
On Saturday, the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that the second phase of a prisoner-hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel was completed as part of the ceasefire agreement.
In line with this, Israel received a list of hostages expected to be released by Hamas on Thursday, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals.
Details Of Hostage Swap
The hostages’ release follows the second hostage swap, in which Hamas freed four Israeli female soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners.
This exchange was part of the broader ceasefire that began on January 19 and is aimed at reducing tensions between Israel and Hamas, while allowing humanitarian aid to reach the devastated Gaza Strip.
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