US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a meeting earlier Monday in Washington with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan “to discuss the ceasefire in Gaza and next steps to ensure stability in the region,” the State Department says in a readout.
The meeting is the latest demonstration of Turkey’s prominent role in the monitoring and implementing the Gaza ceasefire deal.
The US is relying heavily on Turkey in mediating an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would see Jerusalem grant safe passage to 100 to 200 Hamas fighters holed up on the Israeli-side of the Yellow Line in Gaza in exchange for those operatives giving up their weapons, US and Arab officials have told The Times of Israel.
