Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan discussed efforts to prevent the ongoing conflict in Gaza from escalating into a broader regional war during a joint news conference in Cairo on Monday.
The ministers addressed strategies to ease regional tensions, particularly those resulting from the Israel-Hamas conflict. Badr Abdelatty condemned assassination tactics, violations of sovereignty, and the worsening of regional conflicts, emphasizing the urgent need for collective action to prevent a full-scale regional war.
Their discussion also covered the crises in Gaza, Libya, Sudan, the unrest in the Red Sea, and the issues in Yemen.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that Turkey is closely monitoring Israel’s case at the International Court of Justice and plans to file its application on Wednesday. He highlighted Turkey’s stance that establishing a Palestinian state is crucial for peace in the Middle East and criticized Israel for undermining peace efforts.
Both Egypt and Turkey are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and have condemned recent fatalities, including the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Fidan also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, marking a significant step toward improving relations between Turkey and Egypt after years of diplomatic tension.
Diplomatic relations between Ankara and Cairo had been strained for nearly a decade, primarily due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s support for Egypt’s former Islamist leader, Mohammed Morsi, who was ousted by the military in 2013. In recent years, Turkey has adjusted its position to rebuild ties with el-Sissi’s administration.