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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conducted separate phone conversations Thursday with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and members of Hamas' Political Bureau, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
The discussions with Al Thani covered both Gaza and Syria issues, while Fidan's separate conversation with Hamas Political Bureau members focused specifically on ongoing efforts to secure a Gaza cease-fire, the sources told.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the United States has presented a cease-fire proposal to Hamas that has received support and approval from Israel.
"I can confirm that Special Representative Steve Witkoff and the President (Donald Trump) have presented Hamas with a cease-fire proposal that Israel has also supported and approved. This proposal was approved by Israel before being sent to Hamas. I can also confirm that discussions on this matter are continuing," Leavitt said during a press briefing.
When asked whether Hamas has accepted the proposal, Leavitt responded, "Frankly, it's not within my knowledge. If this happens and a ceasefire takes effect, you will hear it from me, the President, or Witkoff."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce expressed significant optimism regarding the Gaza ceasefire agreement proposal that Israel has accepted.
"We know that a very promising proposal has been presented. We don't yet know if Hamas has accepted this proposal, but we think this proposal holds great promise," Bruce stated during a press briefing.
Bruce noted that they do not yet have clear information about whether Hamas has accepted the proposal, but emphasized that if accepted, the ceasefire agreement would bring peace to the region.
"As White House Spokesperson Karoline also mentioned, Israel has accepted this proposal, so we are now at a very good point," Bruce assessed, emphasizing their hope that if an agreement is reached and a ceasefire begins, it will continue.
The Israeli army has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire. The conflict has resulted in over 54,200 Palestinian deaths, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among Gaza's more than 2 million inhabitants due to the ongoing blockade and military operations.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its alleged war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
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