ANKARA — A day after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was confirmed, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with the militant group’s political leaders, including Mohammad Darwish, the head of the Hamas Shura Council, in Istanbul to discuss efforts to achieve a cease-fire.
Israel announced the killing of the Hamas leader and mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks on Thursday. On Friday, Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy chair of Hamas’ political bureau, confirmed the killing of Sinwar in a televised speech. Sinwar “met his end standing brave, with his head held high,” Hayya said.
During the meeting, Fidan expressed Turkey’s condolences over Sinwar’s killing, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The parties discussed the latest status of negotiations aimed at achieving a cease-fire agreement that would enable the release of hostages that the militant group is keeping in Gaza and Palestinians prisoners in Israeli prisons, according to the Turkish readout. The reconciliation efforts between rival Palestinian groups were also addressed in the meeting, the ministry said.
Fidan also vowed that Turkey would “use all diplomatic means to mobilize the international community against the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza,” according to the readout.
In addition to Darwish, Hamas’ Doha-based political wing members Hayya, Mousa Abu Marzouk and Zaher Jabarin attended the meeting, an image released by the ministry showed.
The meeting coincided with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Turkey. He is set to have a bilateral meeting with Fidan on Saturday.
