Erdogan meets with Hamas leader Haniyeh amid rising tensions in Middle East

The current visit of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Hamas movement, to Turkey was not the beginning of consultations between Turkey and the Hamas movement.

This is Haniyeh’s first visit to Turkey since October 7, and it comes at a sensitive time, as the role of Turkey gains special importance after the announcement of Qatar through the​​​​ Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani that they are reevaluating his role as a mediator in the negotiations.

In the recent period, Qatar, along with Egypt and the United States, played a major role in trying to obtain a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of Israeli hostages.

The Qatari Prime Minister confirmed that Doha was taken advantage of, abused and undermined by those trying to gain political points.

He said the current peace talks are going through a “fragile phase.”

Efforts to secure a cease-fire have been largely unsuccessful, but Qatar’s ties with all parties – including close ties to Hamas – are seen as crucial to achieve any progress.

The Prime Minister said his country’s efforts are being undermined by politicians trying to score political points, and told a press conference in Doha on Wednesday: “Unfortunately, we have see that this mediation is being abused for the benefit of narrow political interests. This means that the State of Qatar has called for an assessment.”

Haniyeh tour time

At the same time, Haniyeh’s visit came to Türkiye.

Is there a move to fill the diplomatic vacuum that will be created by removing Qatar from the mediation role?

But does Türkiye get confidence from Israel as a mediator to reach an agreement with Hamas?

Israeli officials had criticized what they said was the sacrifice of Turkish interests related to Israel for the sake of Hamas, as Turkey is also known to have excellent trade relations with Israel, although Erdogan told Haniyeh that the Turkey has imposed a series of sanctions on Israel, including trade restrictions.

In the first Israeli response to the meeting, Foreign Minister Israel Katz attacked the President of Turkey, in a strong speech, where he said, speaking to Erdogan, “Shame on you.”

According to reports from Istanbul, during the meeting, Erdogan stressed to Haniyeh the importance of “the unity of the Palestinian ranks in moving at this stage,” and said that the strongest response to Israel and the path to victory requires unity.

Erdogan pointed out that his country imposed a series of sanctions on Israel, including trade restrictions.

Erdogan said that Israel will inevitably one day pay the price for the injustice it is doing to the Palestinians, and stressed that his country will continue to draw attention to the international community to this injustice.

The American Wall Street Journal reported that Hamas had negotiated with at least two countries in the region regarding the transfer of its political leaders to them.

The newspaper due to diplomatic sources that the movement of Hamas came as a result of mediators from Egypt and Qatar putting pressure on the movement to reduce the terms of negotiations with Israel.

She pointed out that the talks are stalled again, with no signs or possibility of them being restored anytime soon, and that there is a growing lack of trust between Hamas and the negotiators.

Sources reported that during the meeting between Erdogan and Haniyeh, issues such as the establishment of a cease-fire​​​​​​​​​​in Gaza as soon as possible, the increase of humanitarian aid, the release of hostages, and a two-state solution were discussed. for lasting peace.

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the President of Turkey has tried to mediate, but his efforts have not produced results due to Israel’s criticism of Turkish positions.

It is known that Turkey has made distinguished relations with the Palestinian side, both sides, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, and this calls it to take an active role in mediation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during his visit to Doha last Wednesday that Hamas representatives “repeated to him that they accept the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders,” and therefore , presumably the existence of the State of Israel” and the abandonment of the armed struggle after the establishment of the Palestinian state.”

Fidan explained, “Hamas will no longer need an armed wing and will continue to exist as a political party,” expressing his happiness at receiving such a message.

The Turkish minister also expressed to his interlocutors the “fear of Westerners” who consider Hamas a “terrorist” movement and compare it to the Islamic State.

All of the above allows speculation regarding the possibility of mediation pressure between Hamas and Israel to reach a truce and resolve the hostile crisis that will be transferred from Doha to Istanbul.

On the other hand, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry warned that the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip would lead to an extension of the conflict in the region, asking the international community to put pressure on Israel the six routes- they opened a crossing with Gaza, to bring in humanity. support for the residents of the Stri.

This came at a press conference, held today, Saturday, in the Turkish city of Istanbul, on the sidelines of the current visit of the Egyptian Foreign Minister to Turkey.

In the press conference, which also included his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Shukri stressed the need to take serious measures to prevent what he described as “continuous Palestinian displacement,” and also working to establish an independent Palestinian state.

The Egyptian minister said that the navigation disturbance in the Red Sea increases tension in the region, asking all parties to fulfill their responsibilities to achieve calm and stability.

For his part, the Turkish Foreign Minister said that steps must be taken to find radical solutions to contain the regional tension resulting from the ongoing war in Gaza.

Fidan called on the international community and international organizations to play an active role in “putting pressure on Israel to stop the ongoing attack against the Gaza Strip,” pointing out the dire consequences of the war. which is currently on the world economy, after the navigation disturbance in the country. Red Sea.