Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, December 13, 2024
From the Liveblog of
Friday, December 13, 2024
Blinken asks Turkey to use ties with Hamas to encourage it to agree to hostage deal
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (not pictured) at the Ministry headquarters in the Turkish capital Ankara, December 13, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool Photo via AP)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he discussed the imperative of Palestinian terror group Hamas’ saying ‘yes’ to the Gaza ceasefire agreement in his talks with Turkey’s President and Foreign Minister.
“In my discussions with President Erdogan and with Minister Fidan we talked about the imperative of Hamas saying yes to the (Gaza) agreement that’s possible to finally help bring this to an end,” Blinken says, following his meeting with Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
“We appreciate very much the role that Turkey can play in using its voice with Hamas, to try to bring this to a conclusion,” he says.
