Scholz and his delegation landed at Istanbul Airport at 10:03 pm local time (1903 GMT), welcomed by Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Başar Sen and other officials. The visit follows Scholz’s meeting in Berlin with U.S. President Joe Biden and leaders from France and Britain.

The German Chancellor and Erdoğan are scheduled to meet Saturday, followed by a news conference.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions over the Gaza conflict. Erdoğan, a fierce critic of Israel’s Gaza campaign, has often criticized Western capitals for supporting Israel, which he brands a «terror state». Berlin, in contrast, is a strong supporter of Israel and has defended its right to self-defense.

Scholz expressed hope that the reported death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, considered the architect of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, might pave the way for a ceasefire.

On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held talks with Hamas officials in Istanbul, offering condolences over Sinwar’s death and discussing «the state of recent negotiations for a ceasefire deal allowing the exchange of hostages and prisoners».