Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın met in Istanbul with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya to discuss the next stages of the Gaza ceasefire, according to Turkish security officials cited by Reuters. The two reportedly focused on addressing “problems in the agreement” and reviewing mechanisms to sustain calm in the enclave following recent hostilities.
Earlier in the week, Turkey hosted representatives from several Muslim-majority nations — including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan, and Indonesia — in a bid to coordinate regional efforts for Gaza’s stabilization. Officials said the goal was to establish conditions in which “Palestinians govern the Palestinians and ensure their own security,” a formulation that aligns with Washington’s broader vision for a postwar order in the territory.
President Donald Trump has publicly praised Turkey’s engagement with Hamas, crediting Ankara for helping move ceasefire negotiations forward. Turkish officials have maintained communication with Hamas leaders for nearly two decades, a relationship that has long drawn criticism from Israel and other regional actors who see the group’s presence in Turkey as a destabilizing influence.
While Washington now views Ankara as an essential intermediary in advancing Trump’s regional peace plan, Israeli officials have reacted with unease. They regard Turkey as being too close to Islamist movements hostile to Israel and view its involvement in Gaza’s reconstruction and potential international stabilization mission as a strategic challenge.