ISTANBUL, December 18. /TASS/. The Turkish government has not commented on reports of an alleged meeting within the country of the leadership of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, as a source in Ankara’s diplomatic circles reported that they had no such information and said there was a distinct possibility that such reports were simply a canard.

"There is no information about such a meeting. It cannot be ruled out that this was targeted disinformation," the source said.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Kan previously reported on the alleged secret meeting in Turkey, attended by Hamas overseas representative Khaled Mashal, Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri, and other representatives of the organization's leadership. According to their claims, the purpose of the meeting may have been to coordinate positions regarding the continuation of hostilities in both the Gaza Strip and along the Lebanese-Israeli border. In addition, the prospect of resuming negotiations on the release of hostages held in Gaza may have been a topic of discussion.

Turkey was chosen to host the meeting for security reasons, Kan notes. The Hamas leadership decided to discuss all issues in person, without using video or phones, and hold a meeting in a third country in a safe, closed room, inaccessible to Israeli intelligence services, the broadcaster reports.

Simmering tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply on October 7 after the radical Gaza Strip-based Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of border kibbutz settlements and seizing numerous hostages. Israel launched retaliatory strikes against the Palestinian enclave and certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. On December 1, the Israeli army accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire in effect since November 24 and announced that Israel was resuming military operations in Gaza. The Palestinian authorities have blamed the United States for the resumption of Israeli aggression.