Eurasia Press & News
The phone call comes after the Turkish president said last week that his government was working intensively with all parties for the release of the hostages.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh discussed the release of civilian hostages the militant group holds in Gaza in a phone call on Monday.
Fidan and the Doha-based Haniyeh discussed “the latest developments in Palestine and the possibility of release of civilians” held by Hamas, according to a Turkish readout of the call. It didn’t provide further details.
The phone call marks the first known public contact between a high-level Turkish official and the militant group since Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on Oct. 7. The militant group is believed to be holding at least 199 individuals, including civilians, in Gaza, Israel said on Monday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last week that his government was working intensively with all parties for the release of the hostages. Unlike the United States and the European Union, Turkey doesn’t recognize Hamas as a terror outfit and maintains direct contact with the group.
Separately, Erdogan on Monday warned his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi against steps that would increase tensions in the Israel-Hamas war during a phone call between the two leaders, amid lingering tensions between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah along Israel’s northern border.
“Turkey is making intense efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Steps that would increase tension should be avoided,” Erdogan told Raisi, according to the Turkish presidency.
The Erdogan-Raisi call came after Iran warned over the weekend that a potential Israeli ground offensive in Gaza could escalate conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East.
Erdogan’s warning reflects Ankara’s concerns over the potential expansion of the Hamas-Israeli conflict, as fire is exchanged between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along Israel’s northern border. Last week, the Turkish president repeatedly criticized Washington for dispatching two aircraft carrier groups to the region for what the Pentagon described as “deterrence” purposes, in an apparent reference to Hezbollah or Iran’s potential direct involvement in the conflict.
On Saturday, Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also “discussed diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from widening” in a phone call, according to the US State Department.
Blinken also “reiterated the need for Hamas to halt all violent attacks and free hostages immediately,” said spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Fidan is set to travel to Lebanon on Tuesday following his visit to Egypt over the weekend. Speaking alongside his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry on Saturday, the top Turkish diplomat said that Turkey was holding consultations on preventing the spread of the conflict with several regional countries that share similar concerns.
In a thinly veiled jab at Western powers, Erdogan charged last week that “provocative approaches” by some actors have been hindering Ankara’s efforts to secure the release of hostages.
In a separate phone call with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, Erdogan echoed a similar message. “[The] international community, especially Western countries, should speak up stronger against human rights violations in Gaza,” Erdogan told Sunak, according to the Turkish presidency.
