

Foreign ministers from eight countries will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss further steps toward implementing the Gaza peace plan.
Turkey says the meeting will include the top diplomats of the same Muslim-majority countries that met with US President Donald Trump in New York in September. Besides Turkey, these were Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia.
Discussions are expected to focus on shoring up the fragile cease fire between Israel and Hamas, which started on October 10, as well as the second phase of Trump's peace plan.
The 20-point plan calls for Hamas to be disarmed and excluded fromany future political role in the Gaza Strip - two highly contentious issues. It also envisions the formation of an international force to help stabilize security in the Palestinian territory.
Turkey, which maintains close contacts with Hamas, played a key role in brokering the ceasefire. Ahead of Monday's meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks in Istanbul on Saturday with members of Hamas' political bureau to discuss the truce.
Turkey supports a long-term two-state solution that would see Israel and an independent Palestinian state coexist peacefully.
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