ANKARA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met here on Wednesday with a Hamas delegation, which included Muhammad Darwish, head of the Shura Council, Erdogan's office said in a statement.

The meeting was attended by key Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization Chief Ibrahim Kalin, Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, Senior Advisor for Foreign Policy and Security Akif Cagatay Kilic, and Presidential Chief of Staff Hasan Dogan, said the statement.

The semi-official Anadolu Agency reported that Erdogan told the delegation in the meeting Hamas's "471-day struggle in Gaza reaffirmed the spirit of resistance will endure."

Türkiye will continue to "expose realities in Gaza," Erdogan reportedly said, expressing hope for the successful completion of the Gaza ceasefire.

Erdogan has often expressed Türkiye's strong stance on the Palestinian issue and has maintained communication with both Hamas and international actors regarding the conflict.

A three-phase ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas took effect on Jan. 19, initiating six weeks of calm and raising hopes for an end to 15 months of Israeli assaults on Gaza that devastated the enclave and for the release of dozens of hostages held there.

On Saturday, the International Committee of the Red Cross announced the completion of the second phase of a prisoner-hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel, implemented under the initial terms of the ceasefire agreement. Enditem

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