Turkish foreign minister to attend Gaza summit in Egypt

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Cairo, Egypt on Saturday to attend a heads of state and government summit on Palestine.

The summit will discuss the “unfolding situation in Gaza, the future of the Palestinian cause and peace process," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Fidan will also hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel by land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, along with stepping up raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank.

In addition to launching a sweeping bombardment campaign ahead of an expected ground invasion, Israel ordered a "full siege" on Gaza that has led to electricity supplies being severed as water, food, fuel and medical supplies run out.