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The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, spoke in Istanbul with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, regarding the war between Israel and Hamas - the Palestinian group declared a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union - before the American diplomat traveled to in Greece.
Blinken started a tour on January 6, which also includes stops in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
This is Blinken's fourth tour since the Israel-Hamas war began three months ago, as fears have grown that the conflict could engulf the Middle East.
A senior US administration official said Blinken would press Israel to increase aid to the Palestinians and move to a phase of fighting that would allow the displaced to begin returning to their homes.
The official added that most discussions with Arab leaders will focus on curbing violence and how the Gaza Strip can be governed after the war ends.
Istanbul had served as a base for Hamas political leaders until the attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people and sparked the war. As a result of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, over 22,000 Palestinians have been killed.
After the start of the war, Turkey asked Hamas leaders to leave the country.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has become one of the biggest critics of the Israeli offensive in Gaza due to the high number of casualties and extensive damage. He has also criticized Washington for its support for Israel.
Erdogan has compared the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler, and has accused the US of sponsoring "genocide" against the Palestinians.
Regarding Blinken's meetings in Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a short statement and said that during the meeting of the American chief diplomat with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, "the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the process of Sweden's admission to NATO" and for bilateral and regional issues.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Presidency has not yet given details about the meeting between Erdogan and Blinken.
From Turkey, the American diplomat will stay in Greece, where he will meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Then, on Sunday and Monday Blinken will stay in Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates. The American top diplomat will visit Israel and the occupied West Bank next week and will conclude his diplomatic tour in Egypt./ REL
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