Khaled Mashaal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has contacted Palestinian leaders upon an Israeli offensive on the al-Aqsa Mosque, which was described as “nothing but barbarity to the core” by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal has vowed to continue fighting Israel until it meets Palestinian conditions for a permanent cease-fire, putting an emphasis on lifting the longstanding blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Turkey is still pursuing a humanitarian aid corridor into Gaza amid ongoing negotiations for a new 72-hour cease-fire plan presented by Egypt, with the government’s plan to set up a hospital in Gaza also being on the agenda, a Turkish official told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Hamas have authorized the Palestinian National Authority to negotiate on behalf of the group, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said, underlining the presence of a growing relationship between Mahmoud Abbas and Khaled Mashaal.

Ankara breaks the ice with Israel to push for a truce in Gaza, while securing a deal to ship aid to the under-fire Palestinian territory

Turkey has intensified its efforts to produce a lasting cease-fire between Hamas and Israel and to open transportation channels to supply humanitarian aid to Gaza, as the Israeli army eased its assaults in the Hamas-controlled enclave.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu is visiting Qatar to meet Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Muhammad al-Atiyah, in a bid to push forward a truce plan outlining a week-long humanitarian cease-fire and seek terms for a durable truce.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has parried speculation about his possible assumption of the prime minister’s post, saying he was focusing on his current job, particularly Palestine and Libya.

“Nowadays, day and night, I try to do my job,” the minister said July 24 in a televised interview.

Ankara seeks to persuade Hamas to accept a truce in Gaza, with Turkish PM Erdoğan personally assuming responsibility on the issue, but Khaled Meshaal says "We reject today... and will reject in the future"

Turkey and Qatar are forging a plan to produce a truce between Palestinian groups and Israel to end 10 days of violence in Gaza amid additional efforts from Cairo.

Meanwhile, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his country and Hamas “have agreed on a cease-fire” that would begin on July 18, but Hamas denied the report.