Will Turkey help free Israeli hostages? Erdoan says Turkey ready to do whatever is necessary to 'establish a permanent ceasefire' in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan announced Wednesday morning that Turkey was ready to help facilitate a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

Erdoan's statement comes amid reports that Israel has asked the Turkish government to mediate between Israel and Hamas leaders in Turkey to broker a deal to release hostages in Gaza.

“Turkey is ready to do everything in its power to end the massacre in Gaza and establish a permanent ceasefire,” Erdoan said.

Ynet News reported Wednesday that despite repeated refusals Regarding Turkey's involvement and the very tense relations between the two countries since the start of the war on October 7 last year, the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently asked Turkey to act as a mediator in negotiations with Hamas on an agreement to release the hostages.

Erdoan has frequently criticized Israel, even supporting the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Under Erdoan, Turkey moved from stable relations with Israel to regular clashes with Israeli leaders and show support for Israel's enemies.

The political leadership of Hamas recently moved to Türkiye after they were reportedly asked to leave Qatar, where they had been housed for around 12 years.

Despite growing hostility between their two governments, Ynet reported that Netanyahu recently sent the Shin Bet director Ronen Bar to Türkiye for help in negotiations due to the presence of Hamas leaders.

Around the same time Bar was visiting Turkey, an Israeli official said Erdoan's government could not be a negotiator in a hostage deal, but could help put pressure on Hamas , since some leaders of the organization had moved to Istanbul.

On Wednesday afternoon, US President Joe Biden also announced Turkey's participation in negotiating efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.

Over the coming days, the United States will make further efforts with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the release of the hostages and the end of war without Hamas in power, Biden said in a released statement. on .

In the coming days, the United States will make renewed efforts with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, with the release of the hostages and an end to war without Hamas in power.

– President Biden (@POTUS) November 27, 2024

The inclusion of Turkey in Biden's remarks was unexpected for some analysts, due to the recent warning granted by the Biden administration to Turkey for hosting Hamas leaders.

In announcing the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon on Tuesday evening, Biden said the United States also hoped to resume negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Just as the people of Lebanon deserve a future of security and prosperity, so do the people of Gaza,” Biden said in the White House Rose Garden. “They too deserve an end to fighting and displacement.

“Far too many civilians in Gaza have suffered far too much,” Biden said. “And Hamas refused, for months and months, to negotiate a good faith ceasefire and hostage agreement.”

“Hamas now has a choice to make,” added the American president. “Their only way out is to free the hostages, including the American citizens they are holding, and, in doing so, end the fighting, which would allow an influx of humanitarian aid.”

Following the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, a Hamas official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the terrorist group was ready to resume negotiations with Israel.

“We have informed the mediators in Egypt, Qatar and Turkey that Hamas is ready for a ceasefire agreement and a serious prisoner exchange agreement,” the official told AFP.