Turkish top diplomat in UAE amid Gaza ceasefire talks

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will pay a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates amid efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

According to a written statement by the Foreign Ministry on May 8, Fidan will pay an official visit to the UAE on May 9 and 10. The Turkish top diplomat is expected to hold talks with his counterpart Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior UAE officials.

The visit comes as the Islamic world is exerting efforts to stop the Israeli attacks against the Palestinians in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza. Türkiye has been urging that a military operation into Gaza where around one million civilians are stranded will result in a new humanitarian tragedy in the eight-month-long conflict that has already killed more than 34,000 people, mostly children and women in the enclave.

In a written statement on late May 7, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said, “An offensive on Rafah will affect not only the region but the whole world. Israel must immediately withdraw from the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing. The status quo in Rafah and at the border crossing must be restored without further delay.”

In Abu Dhabi, Fidan and his counterparts are expected to discuss ways to end the bloodshed in Gaza and push Israel for a ceasefire. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has earlier reiterated that Ankara will increase its pressure on Tel Aviv to this end citing that it has completely stopped trade with Israel.

On the other hand, the Turkish and UAE officials will also discuss bilateral ties, particularly in the fields of economy, trade and investments.