Turkey says it is ready to help de-escalate Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Turkey on Saturday strongly condemned the loss of civilian lives in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, saying it was ready to help de-escalate the situation before it spreads across wider regions.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Ankara was in close contact with all relevant parties, repeating President Tayyip Erdogan's earlier call for restraint. The ministry also urged Turkish citizens in the region to remain in secure, indoor locations.

"We emphasize that acts of violence and escalation linked to this benefit nobody," it said. "Turkey is ready to provide any help it can to ensure that the developments in question do not escalate further and get taken under control without spreading to a wider region. In that regard, we are continuing our close contacts with the relevant parties."