A Turkish diplomatic source dismissed on Monday reports that Hamas had moved its political office to Turkey from Qatar, adding that members of the Palestinian militant group only occasionally visited the country.
The Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmet Mosque in Istanbul © Mena Today
A Turkish diplomatic source dismissed on Monday reports that Hamas had moved its political office to Turkey from Qatar, adding that members of the Palestinian militant group only visited the country from time to time.
Qatar said last week it had told Hamas and Israel that it will suspend efforts to mediate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal until both show willingness and seriousness. Doha also said media reports that it had told Hamas to leave the Gulf Arab country were not accurate.
NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its offensives in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon and does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation. Some Hamas political officials regularly visit Turkey.
"Hamas Political Bureau members visit Turkey from time to time. Claims that indicate the Hamas Political Bureau has moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth," the diplomatic source said.
Later on Monday, Hamas dismissed the reports as "rumours the (Israeli) occupation is trying to publish from time to time."
Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Huseyin Hayatsever and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo
Hamas' acting Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday that there would be no hostages-for-prisoners swap deal with Israel unless the war in the Palestinian enclave ended.
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan opposes a U.S. decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to attack inside Russia, saying it would further enflame the conflict, according to a readout shared by his office on Wednesday.
France's foreign minister said on Wednesday that U.S.-led efforts for a truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon had created the chance for a lasting cease-fire and he called on both sides to accept a deal on the table.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.