ISLAMABAD: The foreign ministers of Pakistan and Türkiye on Thursday discussed Israel’s intensifying military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, and repeated violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Pakistani foreign office said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke over the telephone as daily attacks by Israeli forces in Gaza continue. Israeli forces have intensified military actions in Palestinian lands despite a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that took effect on Oct. 10 last year.
Israeli forces also demolished several homes in the West Bank this week, saying the demolitions target unlicensed construction. Palestinians, however, say restrictive permitting policies make it nearly impossible to build legally while Israeli settlements expand on occupied land.
“They expressed deep concern over the continued Israeli military actions in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank, repeated violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, and the worsening humanitarian situation,” the Pakistani foreign office said about Dar’s phone call with Fidan.
Last Thursday, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem with thousands of Jews. Escorted by armed police, the Israeli minister and the Jews prayed, waved the Israeli flag and sang the national anthem in a provocative display of power.
The move drew a sharp reaction and condemnation from Muslim countries.
Dar and Fidan reaffirmed their unwavering support for the rights of the people of Palestine, the Pakistani foreign office said. They also discussed Jordan’s proposal to convene a meeting of Arab and Islamic countries to coordinate diplomatic efforts in support of the Palestinian people.
Pakistan does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and has severely criticized it for its military operations in Palestine. At least 1,007 Palestinians were killed in Gaza between the announcement of the ceasefire in October 2025 and early April this year, according to Palestinian health authority figures. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has verified 629 of those deaths, including 269 women and children.
Since Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 174,000 wounded, and much of the territory’s critical infrastructure has been destroyed.
More than 1.9 million people, over 90 percent of Gaza’s population, have been forcibly and repeatedly displaced amid intensive Israeli bombardments, according to UN agencies.
