Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday met with an Israeli prime minister for the first time in more than a decade, with Yair Lapid seeking his assistance to citizens being held by Palestinian militants Hamas.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, a month after the countries announced the resumption of diplomatic ties after years of tensions.

Lapid “raised the issue of missing and captured Israelis and the importance of bringing them home,” the prime minister’s office said in a statement.

The Israeli leader also expressed concerns about arch-enemy Iran and “thanked President Erdogan for cooperating with the intelligence services,” his office said.

Turkey became the first Muslim-majority nation to recognize Israel in 1949.

But relations soured under Erdogan, who has moved away from his country’s secularism since becoming supreme leader in 2003. He last met an Israeli prime minister in 2008.

Relations deteriorated drastically in 2010 after 10 civilians died following an Israeli raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of a flotilla trying to breach a blockade by transporting aid to the Gaza Strip.

Erdogan has ties to Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the densely populated Gaza Strip. The group is believed to be holding two Israeli civilians.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, Erdogan again called for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

But he also said Turkey was “determined to further develop our relations with Israel in the interests of the future, peace and stability not only of the region but also of Israel, the Palestinian people and our people.”

Erdogan has also sought reconciliation with regional rivals, including Saudi Arabia, in recent months, with some analysts believing he is prioritizing efforts to deal with domestic economic woes ahead of next year’s elections.