Turkish, Egyptian top diplomats discuss Gaza peace talks

CAIRO

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelattyti on the phone about the ongoing talks between Israel and Hamas to end the bloodshed in Gaza.

According to sources from the Foreign Ministry, the call between the two foreign ministers addressed the talks taking place in Egypt for reaching a breakthrough in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Sources also recalled that Fidan also held a phone conversation with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed al Thani on late Oct. 5 on the same issue.

Egypt is hosting the indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials over the Trump-led 20-article peace plan that aims to bring an end to the two-year-old conflict and launch a new process in the Middle East.

Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt played a key role in convincing Hamas not to reject the plan that suggests the establishment of a new administration to Gaza. National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director İbrahim Kalın was among the officials that held key talks with Hamas last week in Doha before the group signaled its willingness to negotiate over the plan.

Ankara welcomed the move although Foreign Minister Fidan expressed his caution over Israel’s unwillingness to fully implement the plan. In a recent interview, Fidan urged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might try to nix the implementation of the plan.

However, growing global reaction against Israeli genocidal acts have shifted the balance drastically, including in the United States, the minister said, adding Washington is now opting for making peace in the Middle East rather than remaining silent on Israeli brutalities.