Turkish, Qatari FMs discuss Gaza in phone call

FOREIGN Minister Hakan Fidan yesterday had a phone call with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, Turkish diplomatic sources said. The call concentrated on the latest situation in Gaza.

Türkiye, which has harshly criticized Israel for its attacks on Gaza that have killed thousands of people, mostly women and children, and backed measures to have it tried for genocide at the World Court, has repeatedly called for a cease-fire. But Ankara has no direct involvement in truce talks.

Israel and Palestinians stepped up negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, on a six-week suspension of Israel’s offensive in return for the proposed release of 40 of 130 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza after their Oct. 7 operation on southern Israel. Hamas has sought to parlay any deal into an end to the fighting and withdrawal of Israeli forces. Israel has ruled this out, saying it would eventually resume efforts to dismantle the governing and military capabilities of Hamas.

In a speech earlier this month, Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s call for a two-state solution, which he said was crucial for a permanent solution as Israel continues to attack the Gaza Strip, including aid centers and civilian infrastructure, with unprecedented barbarity. Türkiye has sent over 40,000 tons of aid, mostly food and water, to Gaza by air and sea to be delivered through the Rafah border crossing and has assured that deliveries will continue throughout Ramadan.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the U.N.