Reuters: Turkey Assists in Talks Regarding Hamas Fighters Holed Up in Rafah

SadaNews - A Palestinian source, an official from the Hamas movement, and Turkish officials said on Monday that Turkey is working with the United States and Arab mediators to provide a safe passage for Hamas fighters holed up in tunnels in the area controlled by Israel in Gaza.

The fate of approximately 200 fighters has complicated efforts to advance ceasefire talks in Gaza between Israel and the armed Palestinian movement to the next stage, aiming to ensure a permanent end to the ongoing war for two years.

A Palestinian source close to the mediation efforts stated that Turkey is participating in mediating the fate of the fighters and is working alongside Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.

Two Turkish officials, one of whom is the spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, confirmed that Turkey is mediating talks regarding the fate of 200 Palestinians, without providing details.

Last week, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff stated that resolving the issue would be a test for future steps in the broader ceasefire plan. He added that it could be resolved by providing them with a safe passage to areas controlled by Hamas in Gaza.

A Hamas official, who requested anonymity, stated that Turkey is among the mediators but did not elaborate on the details of the negotiations, saying it concerns a sensitive security issue.

The office of the Israeli Prime Minister did not respond to a request for comment on the Turkish role.

Two sources said last week that the Hamas fighters trapped in the area controlled by Israel from Rafah in Gaza are ready to surrender their weapons in exchange for passage to other areas in the sector.

Hamas has not confirmed the number of trapped fighters but has previously demanded to be allowed to go to areas controlled by the movement. Israel has opposed this so far.

Turkey, a staunch critic of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza and closely linked to the Palestinian movement, was among the signatories of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.