Turkey to join genocide case against Israel at ICJ, says Foreign Minister Fidan

Move follows meetings with Egyptian leaders as both nations call for de-escalation in Gaza conflict

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi during an official meeting with Hakan Fidan, Turkey's Foreign Minister, in the Egyptian seaside city of New Alamein.

Turkey will join the genocide case filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice ICJ, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a press conference, following high level meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

Mr Fidan warned that Israel's "genocidal war" in Gaza could have disastrous effects on the region and the world at large, echoing sentiments expressed by Mr El Sisi during the pair's meeting earlier on Monday.

Mr El Sisi warned that the Middle East is at a critical turning point as he urged de-escalation.

The Middle East is going through a “critical and dangerous turning point that requires the highest degree of restraint”, Mr El Sisi said.

He was referring to the fears that recent escalation between Israel and the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance” could spill into a regional conflict.

“Egypt has repeatedly warned of the danger of expanding the scope of the war in a way that threatens regional and international peace and security, as well as the capabilities, security, and stability of the peoples of the region,” Mr El Sisi said.

Mr El Sisi said tensions could be defused by the international community, insisting on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Mr El Sisi's comments came after he hosted Turkey's Foreign Minister, as Ankara and Cairo seek to strengthen their previously strained relations, partly based on a shared position in support of ending the war in Gaza.

He met Mr Fidan in New Alamein, a seaside city which serves as the Egyptian government's seat during the summer months, as part of the Turkish diplomat's two-day visit to the Arab nation.

Later on Monday, Mr Fidan also held a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty where they discussed increased trade between their two nations in addition to "a new joint vision" on key geopolitical issues, according to remarks made by Mr Abdelatty at a joint press conference held after the meeting.

Discussions between Mr Abdelatty and Mr Fidan included a reconciling of the two sides' differences on the civil war in Libya, which Cairo and Ankarra had been on opposing sides of, in addition to conversations on the civil war in Sudan.

The pair also expressed support for "a unified and terrorism-free Syria", Mr Abdelatty said.

Mr Fidan, who spoke after Mr Abdelatty, addressed the war in Gaza, condemning Israel's offensive and the resulting displacement of 40,000 Palestinians.

He praised Egypt's efforts in mediating a ceasefire agreement alongside Qatar and pledged Turkey's support to Palestine.

He criticised the international community's response to the crisis, stating, "The brutality in Gaza has clearly shown the inability of the international community to the world. The West's double standards were the main factor in disrupting the foundations of this system and the international community."

The talks come as Ankara and Cairo seek to build on the recent thaw in relations following a decade of strained diplomacy and discuss the latest developments in Gaza, according to officials from both countries.

Mr Fidan's trip is expected to pave the way for an summit in Ankara between the countries' leaders in the coming months, according to analysts.

He also met the head of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, as part of Turkey's push to strengthen its relations across the Arab world.

On Sunday, the first day of his visit, the Turkish top diplomat toured key facilities on the Egypt-Gaza border over the weekend, including the strategic Al Arish port and Rafah border crossing.

Analysts say the discussions in New Alamein mark a significant step in the normalisation of ties between the once-estranged nations, setting the stage for enhanced co-operation on a range of political, economic and security issues critical to the stability of the Middle East.

During a speech from the Rafah border crossing, Mr Fidan condemned Israel's actions in the war in Gaza, which he described as “a crime against humanity”.

“Turkey is the country that provides the most humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, our purpose in being here is not to talk about Turkey's aid, but to bring the genocide in Gaza to the attention of the world public opinion,” he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during his visit to the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip, in Rafah, Egypt. EPA

“Israel's closing of the border gate, targeting aid convoys, murdering humanitarian aid workers, preventing the evacuation of patients and civilians, and causing thousands of trucks of aid supplies to rot is a crime against humanity and the first stage of the genocide it carries out,” Mr Fidan asserted.

During his visit to North Sinai on Sunday, Mr Fidan said that Turkey and Egypt are in agreement on the need to end the war in Gaza and establish peace in the region through a two-state solution, a sentiment which Mr El Sisi reiterated in his remarks on Monday when he called for the reinstatement of the 1967 borders.

Mr Fidan was also expected to discuss preparations for an imminent visit by Mr El Sisi to Turkey.

The trip will be the first time Mr El Sisi has made an official visit to Turkey. It was announced in February after Mr El Sisi received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Cairo, a visit hailed as a sign that relations were improving after a decade of strained ties.