Top Turkish, Dutch diplomats discuss war-torn Gaza

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish and Dutch foreign ministers discussed the situation in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Hakan Fidan and Hanke Bruins Slot exchanged views during a telephone call on relations between Türkiye and the Netherlands as well as international issues, especially the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, said sources.

Fidan drew attention to the deaths of displaced civilians in the besieged enclave because of hunger and infectious diseases, stressing the urgent need for the international community to take action for cease-fire and humanitarian aid.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, in which less than 1,200 people were killed.

More than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 73,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.