Top Turkish and US diplomats Hakan Fidan and Antony Blinken discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan met on Thursday with US Secretary of State Blinken in Prague on the sidelines of an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
Fidan and Blinken discussed “the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and ways to support peace and prosperity in the Caucasus,” a statement on Blinken’s X account read.
Met with Turkish Foreign Minister @HakanFidan today in Prague to discuss the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza and ways to support peace and prosperity in the Caucasus. pic.twitter.com/cBxQ9c8OWa
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 30, 2024
The ministers talked about the latest situation in Ukraine, the conflicts in some West African countries and issues related to NATO ahead of the bloc’s summit, in addition to the Gaza cease-fire negotiations and a two-state solution, with Fidan also explaining the Turkish government’s views on the latest developments in Syria, Anadolu said, citing diplomatic sources.
The meeting comes after Fidan earlier this week blamed the United States and other Western nations for enabling Israel to commit “genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
Fidan’s accusation followed the latest Israeli attack on Gaza over the weekend, which killed 45 people, mostly women and children sheltering in tents in Rafah in the south Gaza Strip.
The Gaza Strip is suffering a humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s military campaign against Hamas that has been going on since October 7, with the United Nations and aid agencies warning of impending famine.
The war started with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel that resulted in the death of roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and some 250 people taken hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 36,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has devastated the Gaza Strip.
Turkey is one of the most outspoken critics of Israel’s war on Gaza, accusing the Israeli government of committing “war crimes” and “genocide” in the enclave. In early May Turkey’s Trade Ministry announced that it was suspending all trade with Israel until it allows aid to enter Gaza unhindered during its offensive against Hamas militants.