Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas based in Qatar, recently met with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, marking their first official contact in over three months. According to diplomatic sources revealed on Sunday, Fidan and Haniyeh held discussions in Turkey on Saturday.
The meeting primarily focused on the release of approximately 250 hostages taken by Hamas during unprecedented attacks in Israel on October 7. The parties emphasized the need for a prompt ceasefire and deliberated on increasing humanitarian aid. Additionally, they explored the possibility of a two-state solution as a pathway to a lasting peace.
This encounter follows their last official contact in a phone call on October 16. Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas in response to the October attacks, resulting in significant casualties. The conflict has claimed the lives of at least 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. The ongoing violence has led to the deaths of at least 24,927 people in Gaza, predominantly women and children, as reported by the Hamas-run health ministry.
Notably, Istanbul previously served as a base for Hamas political leaders before the October 7 attacks. Turkey requested Hamas chiefs to leave after some were captured celebrating the attacks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become a vocal critic of the death toll and destruction in Gaza, likening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler and accusing the United States of sponsoring the “genocide” of Palestinians.