Turkish foreign minister discusses Gaza with his Egyptian counterpart

By Muhammet Tarhan and Busra Nur Cakmak

ISTANBUL/ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday discussed the latest developments in Gaza with his Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Ministry sources said.

Hakan Fidan and Badr Abdelatty discussed the ongoing ceasefire talks and efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the region over phone, the sources added.

Hamas is said to have responded positively to a Gaza ceasefire proposal aiming to end the war.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met in Cairo on Monday Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

An Egyptian presidency statement said Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed affirmed the importance of continuing their joint efforts, in coordination with the US, “to reach an agreement that guarantees an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that allows the immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian aid, as well as the release of hostages.”

Last week, Israel’s Security Cabinet endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to fully reoccupy Gaza, triggering international outrage and domestic protests that warned it amounted to a “death sentence” for Israeli captives held in the enclave.

Israel has killed more than 62,000 people in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and took more than 200 as captive.

The military campaign has destroyed the enclave and rendered it uninhabitable. Shortage of basic necessities has led to deaths by starvation in recent days.

According to Israeli estimates, around 50 captives remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive.