US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engages in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister

New Delhi, Nov 6: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's extensive Middle East tour continues with a visit to Ankara, Turkey, where he held confidential discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. His presence in Turkey coincides with rising anti-US sentiments in the country.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted his nation's "duty" to intervene and halt the bloodshed in Gaza while denouncing Israel's "oppression" of the Palestinian people. The Israel-Turkey relationship has notably deteriorated since the conflict's onset, prompting both nations to recall their diplomats. Erdogan expressed disillusionment with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but emphasised Turkey's reluctance to sever ties with Israel.

Secretary Blinken has already made his initial Middle East stop in Israel, where he sought a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to facilitate humanitarian aid. During his regional tour, Blinken also conducted meetings with leaders and ministers in the West Bank, Jordan, and Iraq.

In a concerted diplomatic effort, the Biden administration is intensifying its engagement in the Middle East to negotiate humanitarian ceasefires in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The CIA Director, William Burns, a former US ambassador to Jordan, is currently in Israel for discussions aimed at enhancing intelligence-sharing and reducing civilian casualties.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris is set to engage with unnamed foreign leaders on Monday to discuss the conflict and bolster the flow of aid to Gaza's civilians, according to the White House.