Gaza Contact Group to meet in Jordan

ANKARA

The Gaza Contact Group by the two main Islamic organizations will hold another round of meetings in Jordan on Sept. 18 to give a boost to ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, the Turkish diplomatic sources have said.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the meetings along with the foreign ministers of the Contact Group, established by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League.

The group held its latest meeting in Madrid on Sept. 13.

According to the sources, the ministers will discuss the way to end the ongoing genocide by Israel on Palestinians and steps to open a path for a two-state solution. As agreed in the Madrid meeting, the participants will also raise concrete actions for delivering uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza and resuming the activities of the UNRWA in Gaza.

In Amman, Fidan will reiterate the importance of the joining of more countries to the ongoing court case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Equally important, he will also underline that the recognition of Palestine as a state by more countries will put additional pressure on the countries that have not yet recognized it.

The Contact Group will also be received by Jordan King Abdullah, sources stressed.

Established during a joint summit in Saudi Arabia in November 2023, the OIC-Arab League Contact Group aims to halt the conflict in Gaza and facilitate lasting peace.

Since Oct. 7, relentless Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed nearly 41,100 people, primarily women and children, and injured over 95,000, according to local health authorities. The ongoing Israeli offensive has displaced almost the entire population amid a severe blockade causing vast shortages of essential resources.