US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday (Nov 6) met with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan during his visit to Ankara where he discussed efforts to expand the humanitarian aid reaching trapped civilians in war-torn Gaza.
BY Navya Beri
“We discussed…efforts to significantly expand the humanitarian assistance to people in need, and efforts to prevent the conflict expanding to other parts of the region and what we can do to set the conditions for a durable, sustainable, lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians,” Blinken later told reporters at the airport before departing Ankara.
The meeting between the top US diplomat and Fidan lasted for about two and a half hours which was mainly focused upon calming the tensions between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas. The talks also involved discussion on ways to prevent the escalation of war in the West Bank.
At the airport, while talking to reporters, Blinken said that Washington has made some good progress on humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
“We are working very aggressively on getting more humanitarian assistance in Gaza. And we have very concrete ways of doing that. And I think we’ll see in the days ahead that assistance can expand in significant ways,” he said.
US aware of Turkey’s concern for terrible toll in Gaza
After the meeting, Blinken told reporters that the United States was aware of “the deep concern” in Turkey “for the terrible toll” in Gaza.
“We are working, as I said, very aggressively on getting more humanitarian assistance into Gaza and we have very concrete ways of doing that,” Blinken said before boarding a plane for Japan.
“I think we will see in the days ahead that the assistance can expand in significant ways,” he added without providing details.
Fidan also pressed Blinken for “an immediate ceasefire in Gaza”, reported news agency AFP citing a Turkish diplomatic source.
“Fidan also pointed out to his US counterpart Blinken that bombing civilian targets and destroying infrastructure in Gaza is unacceptable,” the Turkish source said.
No talks took place between Blinken and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has denounced Washington for its “unlimited support to Israel”.
NATO member Turkey has voiced support for Palestine and has been a staunch critic of Israel and its counter-offensive against the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip.
Hundreds rally outside Turkish foreign ministry
Dozens of protesters took to the streets and marched on an air base housing US forces in southeastern Turkey hours before Blinken’s arrival on Sunday.
Hundreds more rallied outside the Turkish foreign ministry demanding Blinken and his delegation leave.
