Official announcements from the governments of Israel and Hamas, or credible international news agencies

Blinken Credits Erdogan for Bringing Hamas Back to Gaza Ceasefire Negotiations in Final News Conference

Jan 16, 2025, 06:43 PM

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has acknowledged the role of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in facilitating the return of Hamas to ceasefire negotiations in Gaza. Blinken stated that the U.S. had sought Erdogan's assistance to use his influence to bring Hamas back to the negotiation table to finalize the Gaza deal, and that Erdogan successfully delivered on this request, leading to Hamas's return to the discussions. This was mentioned by Blinken during his final news conference.