Turkey calls on U.S. to use influence to halt Israeli attacks on Gaza -Turkish source

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan asked his U.S. counterpart Antony Blinken in a call on Sunday for Washington to use its influence over Israel to halt Israeli attacks on Gaza and the West Bank, a Turkish diplomatic source said. Turkey, which supports a two-state solution to the decades-old conflict, has harshly criticised Israel, calling for a full ceasefire and for Israeli leaders to be tried in international courts for war crimes, and slammed Western support for Israel. Washington, Israel's closest ally, has repeatedly said it supports Israel's right to defend itself after the cross-border rampage by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, but has stepped up calls on Israel to act with restraint in its campaign, which has killed nearly 19,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, and laid much of the Gaza Strip to waste.