Fidan warns Blinken over Israel’s attacks on Rafah

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned his American counterpart over Israel’s military offensive on Rafah in the southern Gaza where more than 1 million civilians are stranded amid insufficient humanitarian aid.

The diplomatic sources informed that Fidan exchanged a phone conversation with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on May 15. The two ministers discussed the developments in Ukraine where Russia is continuing its occupation and in Gaza.

Sources stressed that Fidan underlined the importance of an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and allowing uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance. Fidan told Blinken that Israel’s attacks on Rafah City are unacceptable.

Türkiye has long been calling on the international community to put pressure on Israeli government to end its massacres of civilians in Gaza which have already killed more than 34,000 people, mostly women and children.

The Turkish government has repeatedly called on Washington to use its influence on Israel before the conflict spreads to the broader region.

In the meantime, Fidan also spoke with Hamas political bureau chief Ismael Haniyeh on the phone to discuss the latest developments in the ceasefire negotiations, the sources informed.