Turkish foreign minister holds talks with Qatar, Hamas

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s foreign minister held separate phone calls with Qatar’s prime minister and members of the Palestinian group Hamas’ political bureau Thursday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Hakan Fidan spoke with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the two discussed both Gaza and Syria, the sources said.

In a separate call, Fidan’s conversation with Hamas focused on ongoing efforts to secure a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a devastating offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,200 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than 2 million inhabitants.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.