Turkish foreign minister meets Hamas leader Haniyeh to discuss Gaza cease-fire

By Faruk Zorlu

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Saturday with Hamas’ political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan and Haniyeh discussed the immediate establishment of a cease-fire in Gaza, increasing humanitarian aid, the release of hostages and a two-state solution for lasting peace.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, which Tel Aviv said killed 1,200 people.

At least 24,927 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 62,388 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.