Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a meeting in Istanbul with senior members of the Hamas political bureau, according to diplomatic sources on Saturday. The discussion centered on the status of the Gaza ceasefire and the ongoing humanitarian challenges facing the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
Sources indicated that both sides exchanged views on maintaining the fragile truce and facilitating aid delivery to civilians severely affected by the conflict.
Since the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire on October 10, Hamas has reportedly released 20 Israeli captives alive and transferred the remains of 19 others, most of them Israelis. However, Israeli authorities claimed that one of the bodies received did not correspond to their official list of hostages.
Despite the truce, Israeli forces have killed at least 211 Palestinians and wounded 597 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The violence has raised concerns over the sustainability of the current ceasefire and the prospects for further peace negotiations.
Israel has tied the second phase of the ceasefire to the return of all remaining hostage remains, while Hamas insists that the process will require additional time due to the extensive destruction and chaos in Gaza.
The first stage of the deal includes a prisoner exchange, under which nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees would be freed in return for Israeli captives. The broader agreement also envisions reconstruction efforts in Gaza and the establishment of a new governing framework independent of Hamas’ control.
Since October 2023, Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 68,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuries exceeding 170,000, according to official health authorities.
