Turkish foreign minister, US secretary of state discuss latest developments in Gaza

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the latest developments in Gaza in a phone call, diplomatic sources said late Sunday.

The two top diplomats spoke about preventing the conflict in Gaza from spreading in the region, efforts to secure the release of hostages and the urgency of creating a humanitarian corridor as well as issues regarding NATO’s enlargement process, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

Fidan further told Blinken that the targeting of the people of Gaza without discrimination is unacceptable.

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Oct. 7, when the Palestinian group Hamas carried out a cross-border attack.

The number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 8,005, including 3,342 children, 2,062 women, and 460 elderly people, according to the Health Ministry.

More than 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.

Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari on announced Saturday that Israeli forces were expanding their operations and moving to the "next phase of our war against Hamas," which includes ground operations.

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