Turkey Hosts Hamas and Joins Regional Summit on Gaza

Turkish officials are advancing a dual-track diplomatic effort to address the conflict in Gaza and the status of Palestinian territories. İbrahim Kalın, the head of the National Intelligence Organization, met with Khalil al-Hayya and a Hamas delegation in Istanbul on August 4. The discussions focused on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, with Hamas indicating a positive approach toward the proposed roadmap. During the meeting, participants condemned Israel's escalation of attacks in Gaza and called for immediate international intervention.

Following these talks, Turkey joined Egypt and Qatar in a joint statement condemning Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza. Simultaneously, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan traveled to Amman, Jordan, for an August 5 ministerial meeting hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Ayman Safadi. The summit, which includes the secretary-general of the Arab League and regional diplomats, aims to protect the legal status of holy sites in Jerusalem and oppose the relocation of embassies to the city.

Fidan is expected to use the Amman summit to demand international action against Israeli legal violations and criticize the government of Benjamin Netanyahu for continuing military operations in Gaza despite the existence of the Gaza Peace Plan roadmap. The Turkish delegation is also focusing on the impact of Israeli settler violence and demographic shifts in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.