Türkiye holding negotiations over Israeli civilians in Hamas detention
President Erdogan increases Türkiye's diplomatic efforts in securing release of Israeli civilians from besieged Gaza as Hamas frees a woman and her two children in first release of Israelis detained by the Palestinian fighters.
"We are ready to do everything in our power, including mediation and fair arbitration," says Erdogan. / Photo: AA
Türkiye has been pushing for mediating negotiations over civilian detainees held in besieged Gaza under a process being overseen by relevant institutions on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's orders, officials and local media said.
"They are negotiating to secure the release of the hostages," an official source told the AFP news agency on Wednesday, confirming a report by the private TV channel Haberturk.
"We are ready to do everything in our power, including mediation and fair arbitration to end the conflict quickly," Anadolu Agency quoted Erdogan as saying.
On Wednesday, Erdogan spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune and Jordanian King Abdullah II as part of Ankara's efforts to de-escalate the situation between Palestine and Israel.
The Turkish leader said the goal was to end the tensions in the region without spilling over into other countries and to reach a just peace through negotiations.
Pointing to Türkiye's "sincere and peaceful efforts," he added that support from the international community, particularly from regional countries, was also expected.
Two-state solution
Ankara strongly supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, including the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"I would like to underline that a lasting peace and calm can only come to the region with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, whose legitimacy is based on UN resolutions, with 1967 borders and geographical integrity, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and with its recognition by the whole world," Erdogan said earlier.
"Looking for a way other than this, pursuing other enthusiasms, only means more destruction, more tears and loss of life," he said.
Türkiye will not accept any steps or measures that fail to respect the sanctity of Jerusalem, which contains the holy places of three faiths, and the status of Haram al Sharif, which includes the Al Aqsa Mosque, Erdogan stressed.
The ongoing fight between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel has killed 1,200 Israelis and 1,000 Palestinians, and displaced tens of thousands amid relentless Israeli bombing and artillery fire.
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