Russian, Turkish diplomats discuss food security, de-escalation in Gaza

Two senior Russian diplomats discussed food security and efforts aimed at de-escalation in Gaza at a meeting Tuesday in Moscow with their Turkish counterpart.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that deputy foreign ministers Aleksandr Grushko and Sergey Vershinin held consultations with Burak Akçapar on various aspects of Russian-Turkish cooperation and the regional and international agenda, including coordination in the UN General Assembly and among other international organizations.

It said the three men also spoke about deepening international assistance to the political settlement of crisis situations, primarily the Palestinian-Israeli and Syrian conflicts.

"Particular attention was paid to the tasks of de-escalating the situation in the Middle East and providing humanitarian assistance to civilians. The sides discussed in detail the problems of food security," the statement said.

In a separate statement, the ministry said that Vershinin discussed the same issues with Turkish Ambassador Tanju Bilgiç on Monday.

"Particular attention was paid to the Istanbul Agreements of July 22, 2022 on ensuring unhindered access of grain and fertilizers to world markets, as well as the current situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, taking into account the ongoing escalation of violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, primarily in the Gaza Strip," the statement said.

Earlier this year, Russia refused to extend the Black Sea grain deal, an agreement brokered by Türkiye and the UN to ensure safe passage for Ukraine's agricultural exports from its southern Black Sea ports. Moscow said its demands such as the inclusion of the state-owned Russian Agricultural Bank in the SWIFT international payment system had not been met.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has soared to 14,128, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said Tuesday.

"The victims include over 5,840 children and 3,920 women," the ministry added in a statement.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.