The leader of Hamas Ismail Hanija is in Istanbul on Saturday for a meeting with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which supports that Palestinian movement. On Friday, Erdogan confirmed the visit, their first face-to-face meeting since July 2023, but was very discreet about its purpose. “Let’s set the agenda for us and Mr. Hanija,” he told reporters.
Discussed the war in the Gaza Strip, announced Hamas. Hanija arrived in Istanbul on Friday night at the head of his movement’s delegation.
That city has been one of his places of residence since 2011, but since the beginning of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, he has only been officially there once, in January, when he met with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidanwith whom he had a long conversation on Wednesday in Doha.
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Fidan will meet with the Egyptian foreign minister on Saturday Sameh Šukri.
Turkey, which wants to be a leader in supporting the Palestinian issue, has provided firm and constant support to Hamas officials, but has remained on the sidelines in mediating between Israel and the Palestinian movement.
Hanija is visiting Turkey at a time when Qatar, which plays a key role in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, wants to “reconsider” its role because negotiations on a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages are at a standstill.
