Mon, December 29, 2008
ANKARA, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday the international community should not remain silent but take immediate action against the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Erdogan made the remarks during his meeting with visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Ali Abul Gheit. He was quoted as saying that the international community, especially the United Nations, should take immediate action against the "tragedy" in Gaza.
The two foreign ministers discussed latest developments in the Middle East at their closed-door meeting, in which Abul Gheit informed Erdogan of Egypt's efforts to stop clashes in Gaza, according to Turkish diplomats.
Erdogan said Turkey would intensify efforts to stop the tragedy in Gaza, according to the diplomats.
The latest Israeli strike on Gaza on Monday noon brings the death toll to 320 in the third day of the most violent Israeli offensive the Gaza Strip faces in the past 40 years, according to Mu'awia Hassanein, director of emergencies at Gaza health ministry.
Abul Gheit also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on Monday. The latter said Turkey has officially ended efforts to mediate peace talks between Israel and Syria amid Israeli offensive on the strip, according to local newspaper Turkish DailyNews.
At a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart, Babacan said Israel and Hamas should agree on a ceasefire and that influential countries should make efforts for that.
Abul Gheit condemned the attacks, saying that both parties should end the armed operations.
"Israel must stop the killing operations, while Hamas should also refrain from retaliating and bring an end to the actions that led to the Israeli operations," he said, adding that the border gates between Israel and Gaza must be opened.
Egypt brokered a six-month truce between Hamas and Israel which expired on Dec. 19. On Saturday, Israel launched a massive air campaign against Hamas targets in retaliation for ongoing rocket and mortar fire from the crowded Gaza Strip.
