Turkey played a key role in securing the release of five Thai hostages who had been held in Gaza for nearly 16 months, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan © X
Turkey played a key role in securing the release of five Thai hostages who had been held in Gaza for nearly 16 months, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.
The report states that Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) engaged in negotiations with Hamas under the direct orders of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The five Thai nationals were kidnapped on October 7, 2023, during Hamas' attack on southern Israel. They were freed on Thursday, alongside three Israeli hostages, as part of the third hostage-prisoner exchange under the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
In an effort to mediate the release, President Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Turkey’s intelligence chief met with a Hamas delegation in Ankara on Wednesday. The delegation was led by Mohammed Ismail Darwish, the head of Hamas' Shura Council.
This latest development underscores Turkey’s diplomatic engagement in regional conflicts and its active role in humanitarian negotiations related to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
While Ankara supports Hamas, it keeps diplomatic channels open with Israel.
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Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals for reducing tensions or for a ceasefire with the United States that were conveyed to Tehran by two intermediary countries, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.
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