FM Fidan asserts Gaza contact group acts to end Israel’s genocide against Palestinians

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the Gaza contact group is “doing everything to stop Israel’s genocide” in the Gaza Strip during a meeting on Sunday, as reported by Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan spoke at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League Contact Group meeting held alongside the 79th session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Raising international awarness

He noted that the group has been actively working to raise international awareness of the ongoing attacks on Palestinian civilians and emphasized the need to focus on the precarious situation in Palestine and its potential consequences.

The contact group, established during the OIC-Arab League Extraordinary Joint Summit in Riyadh last November, has engaged in diplomatic initiatives across various capitals to address the Israeli war in Gaza.

Fidan called for the mobilization of all available means to halt the violence and counter disinformation from pro-Israeli media, which he claimed perpetuates false narratives about the occupation.

He highlighted that international law supports the contact group’s efforts and noted Palestine’s representation in the U.N. General Assembly, thanks to joint efforts and Palestinian resistance.

The Israeli military campaign in Gaza has continued since a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7 last year, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. Local health authorities report that nearly 41,400 people, predominantly women and children, have been killed, with over 95,700 injured.

The ongoing conflict has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza and resulted in severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, amid accusations of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice.