Turkish intelligence chief meets Hamas leaders in Ankara to discuss Gaza ceasefire
Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın met with senior Hamas officials in Ankara on Monday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and efforts to secure a lasting truce, security sources said. Hamas representatives said they had complied with the ceasefire terms and briefed Kalın on what they described as Israeli violations. A separate Hamas delegation is due to meet mediators in Egypt on Wednesday to advance the fragile truce.
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın met with senior Hamas officials in Ankara on Monday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and efforts to secure a lasting truce, security sources said.
Kalın held talks with Mohammed Darwish, chair of Hamas' Shura Council, and members of the group's political bureau, the sources said. During the meeting, Hamas representatives said they had complied with the terms of the ceasefire and briefed Kalın on what they described as Israeli violations of the agreement.
The talks addressed Israeli military operations in Gaza during the Eid al-Adha holiday and Türkiye's role as a guarantor country for the ceasefire. Participants emphasized the need to oppose policies aimed at occupation and destabilization across the region, particularly in Jerusalem, the sources said. Kalın provided information on Türkiye's humanitarian assistance to Gaza, while discussions focused on coordination with regional countries and international organizations to facilitate the delivery of additional aid. Hamas officials expressed gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Türkiye's efforts to promote peace in Gaza, the sources added.
Separately, a Hamas delegation is due to meet with mediators in Egypt on Wednesday to discuss ways of advancing the fragile ceasefire, Palestinian sources told AFP. The talks will be held in the Mediterranean town of El-Alamein and will include Qatari and Turkish officials, a Hamas official said, declining to be identified as he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The Hamas delegation is headed by chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, and representatives from other Palestinian factions are expected to arrive in Cairo starting Tuesday.
A transition to the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to involve Hamas's disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months. "Hamas believes a breakthrough and progress are possible if Israel does not create new obstacles and if there is a genuine Israeli will to reach a solution," the Hamas official added.