Turkish foreign minister attends Contact Group meeting on Gaza in Saudi capital

In the Saudi capital Riyadh, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday attended a meeting organized by the Contact Group on Gaza formed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League.

"Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, in Riyadh, attended the meeting of the Contact Group on Gaza mandated by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on X.

Fidan held a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh and separately with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's foreign minister.

The Gaza Contact Group, formed by members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, convened on Sunday to discuss steps to boost recognition of a state of Palestine and increase pressure on Israel and its supporters.

Diplomatic sources said the meeting has come to an end, with representatives also discussing decisions to be taken at the upcoming OIC Summit in Banjul, Gambia on Saturday.

The contact group was established at a joint OIC-Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia last November to stop the conflict in Gaza and help achieve lasting peace.