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Türkiye's intelligence chief will join ongoing Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Egypt's Sharm El Sheikh resort city on Wednesday, marking an expansion of international mediation efforts as talks enter their fourth day.
Ibrahim Kalin, head of Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization, is scheduled to participate in the indirect negotiations that began Oct. 5, according to official sources. His involvement adds Türkiye to the growing list of mediators alongside Egypt, the United States and Qatar in what has become the most intensive diplomatic push to end the Gaza conflict since it began on Oct. 7, 2023.
The talks center on U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point framework, which includes a ceasefire, hostage and prisoner releases, Israeli military withdrawals from Gaza, and arrangements for post-war governance. Trump, who took office in January, has made resolving the Gaza crisis a priority while seeking to expand the Abraham Accords normalization agreements.
Current negotiations involve Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and U.S. envoys including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has said the talks address "details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners, in accordance with US President Donald Trump's proposal."
Hamas has indicated acceptance of key elements of Trump's proposal but continues to demand guarantees for ending what it calls "genocide," complete Israeli withdrawal, and unrestricted humanitarian aid. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed support contingent on Gaza's demilitarization and Hamas being sidelined from governance.
The diplomatic effort follows months of start-and-stop negotiations throughout 2025. In April, Trump signaled a shift from indefinite support for Israel's military campaign after pressure from Arab allies including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Egypt has played a central role, deploying additional border forces and collaborating on potential governance arrangements for Gaza.
The conflict has claimed over 56,000 Palestinian lives according to Gaza health authorities, while Israel reports approximately 1,200 killed in Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023 attack. More than 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with families and the Israeli government pressing for their release.
Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for agreement, most recently warning Hamas of "complete obliteration" if they refuse to cede power. On Monday, he described the chance of a deal as "really good" and said Hamas "has been agreeing to things that are very important," while denying he was pressuring Netanyahu negatively.
Türkiye's entry into the mediation process reflects the conflict's regional dimensions and Ankara's longstanding support for Palestinian causes. Türkiye has maintained diplomatic relations with Hamas while also participating in broader Middle East peace efforts.
The negotiations come as Trump pursues broader regional realignment, with reports suggesting Saudi Arabia and Syria could join the Abraham Accords as part of a comprehensive agreement. The administration has indicated willingness to recognize Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank while supporting a modified two-state solution.
Egyptian officials have said the current round of talks could last "a few days," with delegations remaining in Sharm El Sheikh as mediators work to bridge remaining gaps between the parties.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will attend the ongoing Gaza peace talks in Sharm El-Sheikh on Wednesday, the foreign ministry announced Tuesday.
Sheikh Mohammed's "participation in the meetings... comes at a critical stage of the talks, reaffirming the determination of the mediators to reach an agreement that would bring an end to the catastrophic war in the Gaza Strip," the ministry said on X.
The Qatari leader's involvement underscores the high-level diplomatic engagement now focused on the negotiations, with four nations now directly represented in the mediation process.
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