Unconditional ceasefire should be achieved: Turkish top diplomat

JEDDAH

The Turkish top diplomat has called for an unconditional ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after the former’s brutal attack against a hospital in Gaza that killed hundreds of civilians, including children and women.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended an extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah and addressed his counterparts on Oct. 18. In Jeddah, he also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Accusing Israel of collective punishment of Palestinians and committing atrocities, Fidan said “We, as Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are calling for a historical step for peace. We also say unconditional ceasefire should be achieved.”

The situation in Gaza is becoming worse every day as Israel does not allow electricity, food and water into the enclave, Fidan stressed that Palestinians are facing death although they are the ones who are calling for peace.

“Humanitarian assistance should enter Gaza. Türkiye has sent tons of humanitarian assistance to the port of Arish,” Fidan recalled, underlining ongoing cooperation with Egypt to be able to deliver them to the Palestinians.

The only way to resolve this problem is the establishment of an independent Palestine state, the Turkish minister stated, “We should be aware that there is a need of new means in order to achieve peace. A two-state solution is the best solution for the Palestinian case but it is not enough. We should be having a more extended plan and the Palestinians should be part of this peace process.”

Fidan’s remarks came after he unveiled Türkiye’s proposal for a new understanding for achieving peace between Israel and Palestine by including regional countries and some Western nations as the guarantor of a potential lasting agreement between the two warring sides.