A source told Sputnik that the claim that Turkey “demanded Hamas release the hostages” is incorrect. Although Article 8 (of the conference declaration) states that Hamas must release the hostages, this step is mentioned in the same paragraph with the ceasefire agreement. The declaration expresses support for efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States to implement all stages of the ceasefire agreement, which will lead both parties to a final end to the conflict, the release of all hostages, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, the return of all bodies of the deceased, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. In this context, the declaration states that Hamas must release all hostages. The source explained to Sputnik that this expectation is part of ongoing negotiations and denied several claims that Turkey wants to disarm Hamas. The source added, “At our country’s initiative, although the term ‘disarmament’ previously appeared in the text of the declaration and its annex, it was excluded, linking Hamas’s transfer of weapons to the goal of establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state.” Last Monday, the conference on the Middle East settlement and prospects for recognizing a Palestinian state was launched at the United Nations headquarters in New York, chaired by France and Saudi Arabia. Turkey was represented at the conference by Deputy Foreign Minister Noah Yilmaz, and several media outlets reported that Turkey pressured Hamas to release the hostages and disarm. Hamas expressed surprise at the negative comments from the U.S. envoy regarding the movement’s stance, affirming its commitment to overcoming all obstacles. Egypt and Qatar said in a joint statement that some progress was made in the latest round of ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel.
