High-level diplomatic consultations were held in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Monday as Ankara seeks to solidify the fragile progress of the Gaza ceasefire and accelerate the delivery of life-saving assistance to the strip.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed a senior delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas to evaluate the implementation of the second phase of the peace agreement, a critical juncture that will determine the political and physical reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The meeting in Istanbul underscores Türkiye’s enduring role as a primary mediator between Palestinian factions and the international community.

According to diplomatic sources, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan utilised the session to brief the Hamas leadership on Ankara’s intensive diplomatic traffic across various multilateral platforms.

Central to these discussions was the operational framework of the "Board of Peace," a newly established international body designed to oversee the transition from active conflict to governance and stability.

This mechanism is viewed by Ankara as a vital tool for defending the fundamental rights of the people of Gaza while ensuring that the terms of the ceasefire are respected by all parties involved.

The "Board of Peace" represents a significant shift in the geopolitical management of the crisis. Established formally on 15 January by U.S. President Donald Trump, the board functions as the enforcement and oversight wing of the broader roadmap for Gaza.

Its legitimacy was cemented globally following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 in November 2025, which mandated a coordinated international response to the post-war reality.

For Türkiye, the priority remains ensuring that this board does not merely serve as a security watchdog, but acts as a facilitator for Palestinian self-determination.

Fidan’s briefing highlighted the necessity of Hamas engaging constructively with this international architecture to prevent political isolation and to ensure that the Palestinian perspective remains central to the Board’s agenda.

The discussions in Istanbul are indicative of Ankara’s strategy to bridge the gap between Western policy frameworks and the realities on the ground in Gaza, advocating for a peace process that is both inclusive and sustainable.

Disarmament and reconstruction challenges

The focus of the talks weighed heavily on the intricacies of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, which officially commenced on 10 October 2025.

This phase is arguably the most precarious stage of the peace roadmap, as it demands substantial concessions from both the Palestinian factions and the Israeli military.

The terms stipulate a complex process involving the disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups within the enclave, a condition that requires robust security guarantees which the Palestinian delegation is reportedly scrutinising closely.

Simultaneously, the agreement mandates a further, verifiable withdrawal of Israeli military forces from designated sectors of the Gaza Strip to allow for the free movement of civilians and the commencement of early recovery projects.

Copied