Blinken Credits Erdoğan for Hamas's Return to Cease-Fire Negotiations Following January 15 Agreement

Jan 16, 2025, 07:01 PM

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan played a crucial role in facilitating Hamas's return to cease-fire negotiations. In a final news conference, Blinken stated that the U.S. had requested Erdoğan's assistance to leverage his influence in bringing Hamas back to the negotiation table. Following this request, Hamas resumed discussions aimed at finalizing a Gaza cease-fire agreement. Blinken highlighted that the collaboration with Erdoğan was part of broader efforts involving other actors to achieve a resolution. The cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas was reached on January 15, 2025.