UPDATE - Turkish, Chinese foreign ministers discuss developments in Israel, Palestine

UPDATE WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER’S PHONE CALLS WITH HIS MALAYSIAN, DANISH COUNTERPARTS

By Busra Nur Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish and Chinese foreign ministers on Sunday discussed over phone the latest developments in Israel and Palestine, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Hakan Fidan and Wang Yi discussed Israeli attacks on Gaza, the sources said.

Fidan also discussed the conflict with his Malaysian counterpart Zambry Abdul Kadir, and bilateral relations with his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke, the sources added.

Last weekend, Israeli forces launched a sustained military push against the Gaza Strip in response to a military offensive by Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel – a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening living conditions in an area that has endured a crippling siege since 2007, as well as ordering more than 1 million Gazans in the northern strip to evacuate to the southern strip.