Turkish FM: Hamas mustn't be ignored in negotiations

A sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is impossible to achieve as long as the reality of Hamas is ignored at the negotiating table, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said.

His comments came hours ahead of an announcement by Israel's military on Sunday that it would renew its military operations in Gaza, after Hamas rejected Israeli terms for the 24-hour extension of humanitarian ceasefire as it did not include the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave.

The decision came a day after Palestinian factions and Israel observed a 12-hour humanitarian ceasefire at the request of the United Nations, to help civilians stock up on food.

Davutoglu told the state-run TRT television channel: “Disregarding Hamas, excluding them from peace processes, ignoring the will of the people of Gaza and looking upon the ceasefire negotiations as a process between Israel and Egypt are the primary reasons why the truce has arrived late.”

When asked about apprehension towards Turkey among some international actors who perceive it to be against a ceasefire, Davutoglu said: “There is one thing that we know: a ceasefire can be enduring only if it is agreed by the real parties of the conflict.”

'Cherished opinions'

He also said Hamas was a political movement widely misperceived by the international community as an authoritarian and dictatorial faction.

“In reality, it is an international emancipation movement cherishing many different opinions and approaches,” he said.

On a domestic level, when asked to comment on criticism leveled by the main Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu - who claimed last month the government’s foreign policies had pushed Turkey into the Middle East “quagmire” - Davutoglu said Turks as a nation, whose ancestors have defended the region over the centuries, could not regard it as such.

“Some are struggling to turn this place into a quagmire. We, on the other hand, are endeavouring to lay out a rose garden,” he said.

Davutoglu said on Saturday that Israel rejected the proposal of a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. 

"We were very close to reaching a ceasefire, but Israel rejected the proposal at the last moment," Davutoglu said following a major meeting in Paris with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah.

Davutoglu added that Turkey would further increase its efforts for a long-term cease fire. 

At least 1,049 Palestinians have been killed and around 6,000 injured in the Israeli attacks since July 7, when the Israeli army launched its devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Over the same period, at least 46 Israelis – 43 soldiers and three civilians – have also been killed.