Israel rejects Turkish government as mediator in hostage deal with Hamas

Israel has rejected Turkey's potential role as a mediator in a hostage deal with the terrorist organization Hamas, unnamed Israeli sources told The Jerusalem Post.

“I don’t know of any Turkish involvement, and I don’t think there could be,” an Israeli diplomatic source said. The comment came after Israel's Kan public broadcaster reported that several senior Hamas officials had been holding meetings in Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has cultivated close ties with Hamas leadership, viewing the group as a “liberation” movement rather than a terrorist organization that openly advocates for Israel's destruction. Erdoğan has strongly criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza War, even comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader responsible for the Holocaust.

In addition, Erdogan recently claimed that Turkey has severed ties with Israel, however, Israeli officials have stated they were not aware of any diplomatic status change.

While the Turkish embassy in Israel is reportedly still operational, Turkey is not expected to play a significant role in the hostage negotiations as Israel does not currently view the Turkish government as a neutral or reliable mediator in its dealings with Hamas.

Earlier this month, Qatar, another country with close Hamas ties, reportedly expelled Hamas leaders from its capital Doha, following pressure from Washington. The move was framed as a response to Hamas' refusal to accept any internationally brokered hostage agreement. This expulsion is expected to further strengthen the already close ties between Hamas and Erdoğan's government.

Qatar, which previously acted as a hostage deal mediator, reportedly threatened to expel Hamas leaders months ago unless diplomatic progress was made in the protracted hostage negotiations. However, Hamas leaders consistently rejected all hostage agreements.

In May, top Hamas political leaders Khaled Meshaal and Ismail Haniyeh reportedly explored the possibility of increasing Hamas’ base in Turkey as a potential substitute for Qatar.

The conflict between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale invasion attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 251 men, women and children. Some hostages were released in a deal last November. However, 97 are still in captivity, with at least 41 confirmed dead.

Over the course of intense military operations, the Israel Defense Forces have significantly degraded Hamas' military capabilities, eliminating many of its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, and inflicting heavy losses on its forces.

Hamas’ leaders have so far refused to surrender and continue to demand that Israel stops all action in Gaza.