Ankara: The Palestinian group Hamas is showing a readiness to take constructive steps towards making the current ceasefire in Gaza permanent, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated, urging Israel to exhibit the same level of commitment. Speaking at a joint news conference in Ankara with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, Fidan emphasized that Gaza is an integral part of Palestine and should continue to be governed by Palestinians within a clear UN-backed framework.

According to TRTworld.com, Fidan asserted that Gaza is part of Palestine and it must remain so, urging Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and open all border crossings. He expressed gratitude for Egypt's role in facilitating the delivery of Turkish humanitarian aid to Gaza and called for the urgent convening of an international reconstruction conference for the war-torn enclave. As winter approaches, Fidan highlighted the increasing urgency for the entry of medical and humanitarian aid.

On the topic of bilateral relations, Fidan noted the expanding economic and defense cooperation between Ankara and Cairo. He pointed out that Egypt is Türkiye's largest trade partner in Africa, with a trade volume of $9 billion and a mutual goal of reaching $15 billion in the coming years.

Abdelatty described the discussions in Ankara as productive, covering both bilateral and regional matters. He announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to attend the upcoming High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting in Cairo. The Egyptian foreign minister reaffirmed Cairo's full support for Syria's security, stability, and sovereignty, emphasizing that Damascus poses no threat to neighboring countries.