Erdogan discusses Israeli-Palestinian conflict with regional leaders -presidency

Erdogan urged Israel to stop bombing Palestinian lands and Palestine to stop harassing Israeli civilian settlements. Turkey is making necessary preparations to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, Erdogan added.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the latest developments in fighting between Israel and Palestinians in phone conversations on Monday with the leaders of Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Qatar and Egypt, Erdogan's office said.

Erdogan earlier said in a televised address after chairing a cabinet meeting that Turkey is ready to act as a mediator to end the conflict if the two parties make such a proposition, including hostage swaps. The Turkish presidency said separately in a post on social media network X that Erdogan told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that any steps that collectively harmed the people of Gaza would increase suffering in the region.

In a phone call with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, Erdogan said that Turkey was making every effort to end the fighting and ensure calm in the region, his office said. In separate conversations with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar, Erdogan discussed regional tensions.

"We believe that there will be no peace in the region without an independent, sovereign Palestine," Erdogan said in the televised address. Erdogan urged Israel to stop bombing Palestinian lands and Palestine to stop harassing Israeli civilian settlements.

Turkey is making necessary preparations to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, Erdogan added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)