Qatari emir, Iranian president discuss latest developments in Palestine

By Murat Basoglu and Abdul Jabbar Aburas

ISTANBUL (AA) - Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke over the phone on Saturday to discuss the latest developments in Palestinian territories, Qatar News Agency reported.

The two leaders also talked about bilateral relations and regional and international developments of common concern.

The conversation comes as the Israeli army said it is "expanding" operations in the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless bombardment since the surprise offensive by Hamas three weeks ago.

Communication networks went down around the same time and international aid agencies said they could not contact their staff and colleagues.

The conflict escalated dramatically after the unprecedented Oct. 7 attack involving rockets and sending hundreds of fighters into Israeli towns. Hamas said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.

The Israeli military retaliated with airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.

At least 7,326 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli attacks, while the death toll in Israel stands at more than 1,400.

Gaza's 2.3 million residents are grappling with shortages of food, water, and medicine due to Israel’s massive air bombardment and total blockade of the enclave.

UN General Assembly late Friday approved a resolution calling for a humanitarian truce, but Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen called it “despicable” and rejected it.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi