Turkey will take part in new US-hosted talks in Miami on Friday aimed at advancing the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, as Hamas said the negotiations must force Israel to end what it called ongoing truce violations that have continued to kill Palestinians since the deal took effect.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is set to meet with senior officials from Turkey, Qatar and Egypt in Florida, according to US officials, amid growing concern that the transition to the second phase of the ceasefire is stalling.
A senior Hamas official said the talks must result in concrete steps to halt Israeli attacks in Gaza and enforce the terms of the agreement brokered by Washington and regional mediators in October.
“Our people expect these talks to put an end to ongoing Israeli lawlessness, halt all violations and compel the occupation to abide by the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement,” Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told Agence France-Presse.
Ceasefire under strain
The ceasefire formally took effect on October 10, following a two-year Israeli military campaign in Gaza.
Under the agreement, Israel and Hamas committed to a phased process that includes a halt to major fighting, the release of hostages and prisoners, expanded humanitarian access and, in later stages, Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza and the creation of an interim governing authority backed by an international stabilization force.
But progress toward the second phase has been slow, and the truce has remained fragile.
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 395 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began. Israeli authorities say Hamas has also violated the truce, and the Israeli military reported that three soldiers have been killed in Gaza since October 10.
Hamas says Israel has continued airstrikes, artillery fire and ground operations, while Israel says it is responding to security threats and enforcing buffer zones.
Aid, Rafah crossing and force deployment
Naim said the Miami talks should prioritize opening the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt in both directions, increasing the flow of humanitarian aid and allowing materials needed for infrastructure repairs and reconstruction.
He said the discussions should also address how to implement the remaining elements of Trump’s Gaza plan “in a way that achieves sustainable stability” and leads to Palestinian self-governance and eventual statehood.
Under the second phase of the deal, Israel is expected to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, Hamas would no longer govern the territory and an international stabilization force would be deployed to provide security and support reconstruction.
The proposed force, which has been endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, is expected to include troops from several countries. Turkey has publicly said it is ready to contribute if there is consensus on the mandate.
Turkey’s role and US pressure
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent Ankara at the talks. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey is prepared to support the ceasefire and reconstruction efforts and has repeatedly accused Israel of violating the truce and committing serious crimes in Gaza.
“Turkey will continue to fight with determination on every front to ensure that what is happening in Gaza is not forgotten,” Erdoğan said earlier this week.
Washington has ruled out sending US ground troops and is urging regional partners to help carry the security burden. The United States sees Turkey as a key mediator because of its ties with Hamas and its role in past negotiations, although Israel has opposed Turkish troop involvement in Gaza.
Disarmament remains a key obstacle
One of the main sticking points in the second phase is the question of Hamas’s weapons.
The Trump administration has said Hamas must eventually lay down its arms. Hamas leaders reject that demand, saying armed resistance is a legitimate right as long as Israel occupies Palestinian land.
Hamas’s Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya said this week that the group would not disarm, while Israel has insisted that Hamas “will be dismantled.”
The third phase of the deal envisions the reconstruction of large parts of Gaza destroyed during the war, with international funding and oversight.
For now, mediators say the immediate challenge is preventing the ceasefire from collapsing altogether as deaths continue and political disputes deepen, even as Turkey, the United States and Arab partners push to keep the process alive.
© Agence France-Presse