Türkiye slams Israel over Gaza aid blockade, calls situation 'unacceptable'

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said Israel was failing to honour its commitments on humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling the situation “unacceptable” as he urged international action to ensure relief deliveries reach civilians.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara alongside Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Toiu on Friday, Fidan said the Palestinian side had shown a constructive attitude toward resolving ongoing issues, while Israel continued to block aid shipments.

“Humanitarian assistance is stuck in warehouses. This approach is unacceptable, and we call for the necessary steps to be taken,” he said.

He hoped that a framework for permanent Gaza peace that would be accepted by both sides would soon be developed.

On relations with the European Union, Fidan expressed appreciation for Romania’s continued backing of Türkiye’s EU membership bid, describing it as a reflection of the two countries’ strong strategic partnership.

“A strategic approach to Europe’s security architecture is needed, and Türkiye’s active participation in the European security mechanism is critical,” he said.

Fidan added that Ankara and Bucharest had also discussed the war in Ukraine and reviewed their joint contributions to peace efforts.

He noted that Türkiye and Romania “maintain the highest level of cooperation among non-EU partners” and are seeking to expand trade across energy, transport, agriculture and food sectors.

The two sides also explored new defence industry opportunities under the NATO framework, with plans to convene a Joint Economic Committee meeting soon to further deepen economic ties.

On bilateral relations, Fidan said Ankara aimed to enhance cooperation with Bucharest in the fields of energy and defence, and invited Romanian investors to partner more closely with Turkish companies.

He also underlined the importance of maritime security collaboration with Romania, saying the two countries share a vision to make the Black Sea “a region of peace and stability.”