Turkiye and US discuss ceasefire talks between Hamas, Israel

Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his US counterpart Antony Blinken discussed today the latest status of the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Anadolu has reported. In a phone call requested by Washington, Fidan and Blinken also discussed other developments in the region, explained a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The US, Egypt and Qatar announced last week following ceasefire talks in Doha that they had presented Israel and Hamas with what they called a “bridging proposal” to further narrow “remaining gaps in the manner that allows for a swift implementation of the deal.”

Hamas criticised the proposal, claiming that it aligns with Netanyahu’s conditions, including his refusal of a permanent ceasefire and a complete withdrawal from Gaza, as well as his insistence on continuing the occupation of the Netzarim Junction (which separates the north and south of the Gaza Strip), the Rafah border crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor.

Biden said in May that Israel presented a three-phase deal that would end hostilities in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held in the coastal enclave. The plan includes a ceasefire, a hostage-prisoner exchange, the Israeli military’s withdrawal from Gaza, a surge in aid and a permanent end to hostilities.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since 7 October last year. It has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded almost 93,000 others. The ongoing Israeli-led blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine, and left much of the enclave in ruins. The UN estimates that “over 80 per cent” of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed by Israel, which faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. The apartheid, occupation state denies the allegation.

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