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Turkey has confirmed that the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, will travel to the country this weekend for talks with President Tayyip Erdogan.

During a parliamentary meeting, Erdogan stated, “I will host the leader of the Palestinian cause at the weekend. We will discuss a number of issues.” This visit marks Haniyeh’s first trip to Turkey since the onset of the latest Israeli military actions in Gaza on October 7.

Amid heightened regional conflicts, including a recent Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel, the timing of Haniyeh’s visit is critical. Erdogan has openly criticized Israeli actions and called for a ceasefire, describing Hamas as a “liberation movement” and criticizing Western nations for their steadfast support of Israel and labeling Hamas as a terrorist organization. In addition, Turkey has implemented trade restrictions against Israel.

The visit to Turkey comes after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Haniyeh in Doha to discuss humanitarian aid for Gaza, ceasefire strategies, and ongoing hostage negotiations. During the discussions, Hamas emphasized the significant role Turkey plays in these discussions.

Following the talks in Doha, Fidan, alongside Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, stressed the continued risk of escalating regional conflict. Fidan expressed concerns about the support certain countries provide to Israel and emphasized the necessity of Palestinian unity to achieve a sovereign state and a two-state solution.