Turkish and US presidents deliberate on Gaza conflict, Sweden’s NATO bid over phone call

Ankara, Dec 15: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a phone call with his US counterpart Joe Biden, discussing the conflict between Israel and Hamas, bilateral ties, and Sweden’s NATO bid.
Erdogan told Biden during the phone call on Thursday that the “humanitarian tragedy in Gaza must be stopped as soon as possible, that the US withdrawal of unconditional support for Israel can ensure a ceasefire quickly”, the President’s office said.
“It is the historical responsibility of the US to ensure a permanent ceasefire in the region as soon as possible,” Erdogan was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying. “The deepening and prolongation of Israel’s attacks may have negative regional and global consequences,” he warned, adding that the most reasonable and permanent solution is to establish an independent, sovereign Palestinian State having territorial integrity, with Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders.
The two leaders also discussed the sale of F-16 fighter jets during the phone call, according to the President’s office. Erdogan said last week that he expected the US Congress to approve the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara before the Turkish parliament can ratify Sweden’s NATO membership bid.
Israel’s conflict with Hamas since October 7 has so far killed 18,787 people and wounded over 50,000 others in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry said on Thursday. About 1,200 people died during the surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, according to Israeli figures.
Since October 8, Hezbollah fighters have carried out scores of attacks, mostly targeting Israeli military posts along the border. Israeli artillery and warplanes have also been attacking areas on the Lebanese side. The border between Israel and Lebanon had been mostly quiet over the years apart from sporadic violations, but it all changed since the Israel-Hamas war started. (IANS)