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Türkiye's intelligence chief met with senior Hamas negotiators in Istanbul to discuss Israeli violations of the Gaza ceasefire and conditions for advancing to the next phase of the peace plan, according to an official statement released Friday.
Ibrahim Kalin, head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), held talks with Halil el-Hayye, a member of Hamas's Political Bureau and head of its negotiation team, along with accompanying delegates.
During the meeting, Hamas representatives asserted they have complied with ceasefire terms while providing Kalin with details about alleged Israeli breaches of the agreement. The discussions focused on steps to prevent further violations and create conditions necessary to transition to the second phase of the Gaza Peace Plan.
As a guarantor nation of the ceasefire agreement, Türkiye has intensified efforts to ensure proper implementation of the truce in Gaza, the statement said. The two delegations evaluated measures to halt what they characterized as Israeli violations of the agreement.
The meeting also addressed Türkiye's humanitarian assistance to Gaza, with particular emphasis on tent deliveries. Officials discussed ongoing coordination with regional countries and international organizations to increase aid flows into the enclave.
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The talks come amid Hamas accusations that Israel has conducted attacks targeting civilians despite the ceasefire. In a recent statement, the group claimed Israeli forces have killed more than 400 Palestinians in the two months since the truce began.
Hamas specifically cited an Israeli strike on the Gaza Martyrs School in the et-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, where six Palestinians including one woman were killed during a wedding ceremony. The Israeli military acknowledged in a statement that it had targeted civilians in that attack.
The group criticized what it described as international silence in response to these incidents and called on mediator and guarantor countries, as well as the U.S. administration, to fulfill their responsibilities in preventing ceasefire violations.
Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to achieving Palestinian national reconciliation and establishing an independent Palestinian state, according to the MIT statement.
The ceasefire agreement took effect October 10 following negotiations in Egypt. U.S. President Donald Trump announced October 9 that Israel and Hamas had approved the first phase of the ceasefire plan. The agreement formally entered force after Israeli forces withdrew to the designated "Yellow Line" as stipulated in the accord.
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