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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Sunday said the Gaza contact group of Muslim nations has been “doing everything it can to stop Israel’s genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
The contact group has been “doing its best” to raise international awareness of the ongoing attacks on Palestinian civilians, Fidan told a meeting of the group on the margins of the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
“This week, during our meetings and bilateral discussions, we must focus on the knife-edge situation in Palestine and its dangerous consequences,” he was quoted as saying.
The Contact Group was formed at an extraordinary summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, last November. It has been actively engaged in diplomatic initiatives across various international capitals to find a solution to the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip.
‘Mobilize all means’
Fidan emphasized that the contact group has to “mobilize all means at our disposal to stop this madness.”
“We must counter the disinformation produced by pro-Israeli media outlets, which use false narratives to deepen the occupation,” he added.
Stressing that international law stands by the contact group, Fidan said thanks to the joint efforts and the resistance of the Palestinians, Palestine has a seat in the General Assembly.
Separately, Fidan said on X that conducting active diplomacy to establish global peace and justice is “one of Türkiye’s most fundamental priorities.”
“With the understanding of ‘A Fairer World is Possible,’ we appeal to the conscience of the international community and resolutely continue Türkiye’s solution-oriented diplomacy approach for the sake of a more just and prosperous future for humanity.
“We put forward this vision at the OIC and Arab League Gaza Contact Group meeting that we attended today,” he added.
The contact group supports Palestinians on “every platform and keeps the oppression they suffer on the world’s agenda,” he stressed.
Israel has continued its deadly onslaught on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
Nearly 41,400 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and more than 95,700 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.
Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
In May, Türkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza, and in August, formally applied to join South Africa’s initiative to have Israel tried for genocide at the ICJ.
Ankara is a firm supporter of the two-state solution with the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as an independent Palestine’s capital.
Fidan himself has led an intense diplomatic push for Ankara’s aims to facilitate a cease-fire in Gaza, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave and necessary steps toward a two-state solution.
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Emil Kovács graduated from the Journalism program at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. During his journalism studies, he focused on data journalism, investigative reporting, and multimedia storytelling. He gained experience by writing for the university’s student newspaper, where he gained attention for his articles on social issues. After graduation, Emil began working as a reporter at a European news agency, where he conducts in-depth analyses of international news and current events.
