Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan meets newly elected Hamas leader

Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan meets newly elected Hamas leader

Submitted by
MEE staff
on
Thu, 07/30/2026 - 09:59

Khalil al-Hayya briefed Fidan on Israeli attacks, settlement expansion and Palestinian reconciliation

Palestinians run for cover as smoke and fire rise during an Israeli strike on the the Al-Muttaqin Mosque in Gaza City on 28 July 2026 (Omar Al Qattaa/AFP)

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has met Khalil al-Hayya, the newly elected head of the political bureau in Hamas, as well as a delegation from the Palestinian group.

Fidan congratulated Hayya on his appointment during Thursday’s meeting, sources within Turkey’s foreign ministry said, according to the semi-official Anadolu Agency.

Hayya briefed Fidan on Israel’s continuing attacks across Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

At least six Palestinians were killed and 25 others wounded in Israeli air attacks across Gaza overnight on Thursday and Friday.

He said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had accelerated illegal settlement expansion and intensified attacks on holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Hayya said Hamas remained committed to a constructive role in peace negotiations. He also outlined efforts to secure reconciliation between Palestinian factions.

Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s support for the Palestinians’ “just cause” across diplomatic forums and international institutions.

He said Ankara would continue drawing global attention to Israel’s crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including its attacks on holy sites.

Minister of Foreign Affairs @HakanFidan met with Hamas delegation headed by Halil el-Hayya, Chief of Hamas Political Bureau, in Ankara. pic.twitter.com/RR5HfL77Ys
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) July 29, 2026

Fidan also pledged to increase humanitarian assistance entering the besieged Gaza Strip and maintain Turkey’s support for the peace process.

The Turkish foreign minister praised Hamas’s role in negotiations aimed at ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

Hamas elected Hayya as the new head of its political bureau on 20 July, the third leader of the group since Israel's genocidal war on Gaza began in October 2023, following the Hamas-led attack on Israel. Israel has killed four of his sons: Osama, Hamza, Hammam and Azzam.

Hayya, who is based in Qatar, succeeds Yahya Sinwar, who took charge after Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024. Israeli forces killed Sinwar during fighting in Rafah three months later.

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