Ankara: The Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday discussed the latest developments in Gaza with his Egyptian counterpart, Foreign Ministry sources said. Hakan Fidan and Badr Abdelatty talked over the phone about the ongoing ceasefire talks and efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the region.

According to Anadolu Agency, Hamas has reportedly responded positively to a ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi held a meeting in Cairo on Monday with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. An Egyptian presidency statement indicated that Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed emphasized the significance of continuing their joint efforts, in coordination with the US, to secure an agreement for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ensuring unhindered humanitarian aid access and the release of hostages.

Last week, Israel's Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to fully reoccupy Gaza, which sparked international condemnation and domestic protests. Critics warned that the plan could endanger the lives of Israeli captives held in the enclave. The ongoing military campaign has resulted in the deaths of more than 62,000 people in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, following an attack by Hamas on Israel where over 200 individuals were taken captive.

The conflict has devastated the enclave, rendering it uninhabitable, with a severe shortage of basic necessities leading to fatalities from starvation in recent days.