President Sheikh Mohamed and Turkish Foreign Minister discuss Israel-Gaza crisis

UAE leader and Hakan Fidan call for international community to take responsibility for helping to bring about peace in the region

President Sheikh Mohamed discussed the Israel-Gaza conflict with Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, on Tuesday. Photo: UAE Presidential Court / AFP

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President Sheikh Mohamed on Tuesday called for the humanitarian response to the Israel-Gaza war to be intensified during talks with Turkey's Foreign Minister in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE leader and Hakan Fidan underlined the need to assist aid organisations in delivering crucial relief and medical support to civilians affected by the unfolding crisis in the Gaza Strip.

The two men called on the international community to assume responsibility towards "achieving a just, comprehensive and stable peace in the Middle East" in discussions held at Al Shati Palace.

More than 5,700 people have been killed in Gaza and hundreds of thousands more displaced due to retaliatory Israeli bombardments in recent weeks, after Hamas militants launched a surprise assault on the south of Israel on October 7.

At least 12 hospitals and 32 clinics in the Gaza Strip have been shut due to a lack of power and the damage caused by Israeli air strikes, the Palestinian Health Ministry has said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said Hamas's attacks "did not happen in vacuum", adding that Palestinians have been subjected to 56 years of "suffocating occupation".

Palestinian grievances cannot justify appalling Hamas attacks, just as those attacks cannot justify collective Palestinian punishment, he told the UN Security Council.

“At a crucial moment like this, it is vital to be clear on principles, starting with the fundamental principle of respecting and protecting civilians,” Mr Guterres said.

Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Fidan also reviewed UAE-Turkish ties during their meeting.

The Turkish minister conveyed the greetings of the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Sheikh Mohamed, who returned similar sentiments.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court.

Updated: October 24, 2023, 5:58 PM