MADRID, Spain: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a Gaza Contact Group meeting in Madrid, focusing on the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank. The group, formed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, includes key figures like Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the Arab League, and Josep Borrell, head of EU foreign affairs.
The meeting aims to secure a cease-fire, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, and promote a two-state solution recognizing Palestine as a state. Fidan will discuss strategies with international counterparts to increase pressure on Israel, broaden Palestine’s recognition in the UN, and involve more nations in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel’s actions in Gaza, where it is accused of genocide.
Since October 7, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 41,100 people, mostly women and children, displacing almost the entire population under a severe blockade. The Gaza Contact Group, established in November in Saudi Arabia, seeks to halt the conflict and foster lasting peace, especially following new recognitions of Palestine by Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia.
