Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan and Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry met in Cairo to discuss the Gaza Strip’s humanitarian aid delivery. Gaza is currently without electricity, food, and water due to an Israeli blockade, with over 2 million people trapped in the city.
Fidan invited Israel to adhere to international law, while Shoukry emphasized the urgent need to provide protection for Palestinian civilians and ensure aid entry into Gaza. Turkey rejects attacks targeting innocent civilians and condemns the policy of displacing Palestinians in Gaza and deporting them to Egypt.
Fidan reiterated Türkiye’s two-state solution for the conflict, stating that the Palestinian issue could be resolved with the establishment of a Palestinian state. He also met with German counterpart Annalena Baerbock to discuss joint efforts to facilitate the release of German hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Türkiye plans to send more humanitarian aid via air to Egypt’s El Arish airport and hopes to deliver it to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, citing ongoing negotiations between Egypt and Israel. They discussed the aid issue with other countries.
The United Nations (UN) is working to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where aid from Jordan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates arrived at El Arish airport. The UN has also provided medical supplies to meet the needs of 300,000 people. Egypt has sent a convoy of 100 transport trucks carrying 1,000 tonnes of aid. Israel has declared a “complete siege” of the Palestinian coastal enclave, cutting off food, water, fuel, and electricity supplies to the territory’s 2.4 million people.
Egypt and Türkiye are in close consultation with countries with similar stances on the Palestinian issue to prevent the conflict from spreading. They call for the resumption of the peace process on the basis of a two-state solution.
Muslim countries in the region must establish a mechanism to protect Palestinians’ survival and ensure lasting peace. Egypt and Turkey recognize the importance of addressing the humanitarian impacts of the conflict. Ankara has launched diplomacy to mediate, sent aid, and criticized Israel’s call for Gazans to move south as inhumane and a violation of international law.
Fidan’s visit marks another step for fully normalizing ties between Cairo and Ankara. He said that relations between Türkiye and Egypt have entered a brand new era in which they turn their horizons to the future and focus on cooperation. The bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Egypt reached almost $10 billion last year, with a new target of $15 billion for the next five years.
