German chancellor rules out Hamas in Middle East peace process

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East is only possible with the participation of all relevant parties, but explicitly excluding the Palestinian group Hamas.

Speaking at a joint press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, Merz said the current ceasefire, which he described as temporary, had been achieved thanks to a 20-point plan developed by the US President with active support from Erdoğan, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

“We are now looking for ways to achieve a durable peace settlement,” Merz said. “Such a settlement is only possible with the involvement of all stakeholders, but without Hamas.”

He also thanked Erdoğan for Türkiye’s role in mediating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Without Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, and the United States, this process would not have been possible,” Merz added.

The German government, he said, would do everything possible to support the peace process. He also expressed hope that Türkiye would continue exploring ways to encourage Hamas to join a second phase of the agreement.

By Aghakazim Guliyev