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.
By Antoione Khoury
European Union foreign ministers will on Monday explore whether there is enough support for new measures to curb trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to diplomats and officials.
Israel is set to hold a national election on October 27, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, its first since Hamas' 2023 attack and the wars that ensued in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
The United States carried out fresh strikes on Iranian missile and air defense systems Sunday, also targeting small Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boats at several locations around the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing a senior US official.
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