Turkish Intel Chief Hosts Hamas Leaders as New Report Warns of Turkey’s Ties to Muslim Brotherhood

Turkish Intel Chief Hosts Hamas Leaders as New Report Warns of Turkey’s Ties to Muslim Brotherhood

by Ailin Vilches Arguello

Turkey’s extensive ties with Hamas and other terrorist groups and Islamist movements are raising alarm bells among analysts, highlighting Ankara’s controversial pivot away from its traditional Western alliances amid ongoing regional conflicts.

This week, Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın met in Ankara with Khalil Al-Khaya, a senior Hamas negotiator, and the terrorist group’s political bureau delegation to discuss prospects for advancing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire — marking the second such meeting in under two weeks.

Last week, Kalın also met with senior Hamas leaders in Istanbul, underscoring Turkey’s ongoing diplomatic engagement with the Islamist group.

Notably absent from both meetings’ public summaries was any mention of Hamas’s disarmament— a key condition of the US-backed peace plan, which the terrorist group continues to reject, further complicating ceasefire efforts.

Earlier this year, the US-backed plan to end the war in Gaza hit major roadblocks after proposals surfaced that would allow Hamas to retain some small arms — an idea strongly denounced by Israeli officials who insist the Islamist group must fully disarm.

Israel has previously warned that Hamas must give up its weapons for the second phase of the ceasefire to move forward, pointing to tens of thousands of rifles and an active network of underground tunnels still under the terrorist group’s control.

Last week, US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” reportedly presented a disarmament plan to Hamas that would require the terrorist group to allow the destruction of its vast Gaza tunnel network as it lays down its arms in stages over eight months. Palestinian officials indicated Hamas would not accept the proposal without “amendments and improvements.”

Under Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, phase two would involve deploying an international stabilization force (ISF), beginning large-scale reconstruction, and establishing a Palestinian technocratic committee to oversee the territory’s administration.

Conditioned on Hamas’s disarmament, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would also withdraw from the approximately 53 percent of the enclave they currently occupy.

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Turkey has repeatedly tried to position itself as a regional mediator, maintaining direct intelligence channels with Hamas to advance ceasefire talks and solidifying its role in US-backed diplomatic efforts.

However, Turkey has also been a long-time backer of Hamas, hosting senior officials multiple times over the years and refusing to designate the group as a terrorist organization. Ankara has also provided Hamas with both political and financial support by allowing its leadership to operate networks from Turkish soil.

Israeli officials have repeatedly accused Hamas operatives of using Turkey as a base for recruitment, financing, and operational coordination.

On Monday, Israeli intelligence services uncovered a Hamas terror network in the West Bank, directed by an operative based in Turkey, revealing ongoing coordination between the group’s cells abroad and on the ground.

More....

Netanyahu says Israel forming regional alliances with Arab states to counter Iran

Netanyahu says Israel forming regional alliances with Arab states to counter Iran

 Vered Weiss,

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers at a Cabinet meeting this week that Israel is building alliances with Arab countries to confront Iran, signaling expanded regional coordination as the conflict continues.

Netanyahu described the outreach as part of a broader regional shift, saying countries that once dismissed Israeli warnings about Iran are now reassessing the threat.

According to remarks cited by Maariv, Netanyahu said past discussions with Arab leaders did not resonate at the time.

“In the past, I had secret conversations with Arab leaders,” Netanyahu reportedly said. “I told them, ‘As soon as Iran can, it will conquer you and overthrow your kingdoms.’ Back then, they didn’t really internalize things. Today they understand.”

He said Israel is now advancing ties with “important countries in the region,” without naming them, and indicated that additional agreements could soon be made public. “We are creating new alliances with important countries in the region,” he said. “Soon, I will be able to tell you more about these important pacts.”

Separately, Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter described increased engagement with Gulf states. Speaking Monday on the “What the Hell is Going On” podcast, he said multiple countries have sought closer coordination with Israel.

“Some of our allies have become even greater allies over the past month,” Leiter said. “Whether it’s UAE, Bahrain, I think we’ve become closer to the Saudis, closer to the Omanis. Closer to the Kuwaitis, for crying out loud. They’ve asked us for assistance.”

Netanyahu linked the diplomatic activity to recent military developments, saying Israeli operations have reduced Iran’s capabilities.

He said Israel had eliminated immediate threats tied to Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal and had also damaged its ability to produce such weapons. “We brought a complementary achievement by smashing the industrial capability of the regime to produce these tools of destruction,” he said.

He also pointed to changes in the regional balance, stating that Hezbollah no longer poses “a strategic threat” to Israel. Netanyahu added that pressure on Tehran could lead to broader change, saying, “Sooner or later, the Iranian regime will fall.”

Liberation of LPR Marks Shift to Tougher Russian Demands in Ukraine Talks - Analyst

Liberation of LPR Marks Shift to Tougher Russian Demands in Ukraine Talks - Analyst

Sputnik

By liberating the Lugansk People’s Republic, Russia is signaling that it has lost faith in negotiations with Zelensky, who offers “nothing but empty talk and publicity stunts," military analyst Alexei Leonkov, editor of Arsenal of the Fatherland, tells Sputnik.

There will be new demands from Russia now as it "extends its buffer zone further into regions still occupied by Ukrainian troops,” says Alexei Leonkov.

One of the original conditions for the negotiations was Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk People's Republic, the Lugansk People's Republic, and Russia’s Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, yet the Zelensky regime failed to comply, he points out.

“Russia drove Ukraine’s troops out by force, inflicting heavy losses in the process,” says the analyst.

The Lugansk People’s Republic has now been fully liberated, Russia’s Defense Ministry said

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov’s statement that Zelensky must decide to pull out Ukrainian forces from Donbass today makes it clear that the previous preliminary agreements concerning peace negotiations “have essentially ceased to exist,” the pundit points out. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine and its Western backers—reeling from the disastrous fallout of the US war on Iran—find themselves at their weakest. 

With favorable weather drying the ground, Russian offensives can now push beyond main roads, enabling flanking maneuvers and deeper breakthroughs into enemy lines, the expert explains.

“This is an opportune moment to break the backbone of the Ukrainian militants,” Leonkov says.

The liberation of the LPR serves as a good incentive for the Russian Armed Forces to push westward until the two main tasks of the Special Military Operation - demilitarization and denazification - are fulfilled, believes the expert, adding:

“With the enemy unwilling to surrender and Western backers speculating that Ukraine can hold for 2–3 more years, our forces will keep pressing forward to shatter that illusion.”

Convergence: Jan Markell And Billy Crone

Convergence!

Video

How often have you heard various terms recently: Convergence; it’s all coming together; last days’ countdown; running out of time.

That’s because we’ve entered the predicted season where all things are falling into place.

Pastor Billy Crone and Jan Markell discuss these issues in this short one-on-one video looking at several current issues:

·      President Trump’s Board of Peace

·      The staggering rise of artificial intelligence 

·      Raging antisemitism

·      The silence of the pulpit and the state of the church today.

Palm Sunday Massacre Leaves Dozens Dead in Nigeria as Violence Targets Christian Communities

Palm Sunday Massacre Leaves Dozens Dead in Nigeria as Violence Targets Christian Communities

Emmitt Barry

At least 30 people were killed in a brutal Palm Sunday attack in Ungwan Rukuba, a community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria, marking yet another deadly incident during one of Christianity’s holiest seasons, according to International Christian Concern.

According to eyewitnesses, heavily armed gunmen entered the community Sunday evening and opened fire indiscriminately on residents. The assault was described as coordinated, with multiple casualties and homes impacted as panic spread through the area.

Local reports indicated that earlier in the day, additional violence erupted in nearby areas—including Angwa Rukuba Junction and surrounding student housing—where at least 10 more people were killed. A humanitarian worker stated that the victims were Christians targeted during Palm Sunday observances.

Witness accounts differed regarding the identity of the attackers. Some pointed to the jihadist group Boko Haram, while others claimed the perpetrators were armed Fulani militants who reportedly arrived on motorcycles and fled toward nearby mountainous terrain. As of now, authorities have not confirmed the attackers’ identities.

In response to the escalating violence, the Plateau state government imposed a 48-hour curfew across parts of northern Jos. Despite the restrictions, protests broke out as grieving residents—many of them youth—took to the streets, blocking roads and demanding justice.

This latest wave of violence follows a disturbing pattern of attacks targeting Christian communities during the Easter season in Nigeria. Reports from prior years show repeated incidents of killings and destruction during Holy Week, particularly in Plateau state. In 2025 alone, more than 50 Christians were killed following Palm Sunday celebrations in nearby areas.

The recurrence of such violence during sacred Christian observances underscores growing concerns over religious persecution in the region, as believers continue to gather for worship under increasing threat.

Even in the midst of such tragedy, the global Church is called to stand in prayer for Nigeria—lifting up the persecuted, the grieving, and those who courageously continue to gather in the name of Christ. Scripture reminds us that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). As violence rises, so too does the call for believers worldwide to intercede, trusting that God’s redemptive purposes will prevail even in the darkest hour.