US Secretary of State to visit Türkiye to discuss Gaza

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Türkiye on Nov. 5 - 6 to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

Blinken and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, will meet Monday to exchange views on relations and regional issues.

The visit follows Blinken’s arrival Thursday in Israel for a third time since the outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Oct. 7.

The Israeli army expanded air and ground attacks earlier this week on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a surprise offensive by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

“The death toll as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7 is 9,500, including 3,900 children and 2,509 women,” Salama Marouf, the head of the Gaz media office, said at a news conference.

More than 1,538 Israelis have been killed.