Turkiye ready to host "some" released Palestinians, Fidan says

Shafaq News/ Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced, on Sunday, Turkish readiness to host "some" Palestinian detainees released by Israel as part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, Fidan quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressing Ankara’s acceptance to accommodate some of the released Palestinians alongside other countries to support the agreement. Fidan emphasized that Turkiye would fulfill its role to ensure the continued implementation of the ceasefire.

For his part, the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister stated that the two sides discussed the developments in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Syria in a closed-door meeting.

He stressed the importance of both parties continuing to adhere to the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Regarding Syria, bin Abdulrahman highlighted "the agreement on the importance of lifting sanctions imposed on Syria."

This comes a day after Israel confirmed that negotiations on the terms of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, which aims to release remaining detainees and bring the war to an end, will resume in Washington next Monday.

During the first phase of the truce, which lasts six weeks, 33 Israeli detainees are expected to be released, eight of whom have already died, while Israel will free approximately 1,900 Palestinian detainees.

In return for Hamas releasing three Israeli detainees on Saturday, Israel freed 182 Palestinians and one Egyptian. According to the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, 150 of the Palestinians were transported by bus to Gaza, while 25 others were released in the occupied West Bank. Eight detainees, including the Egyptian, were deported to Egypt.