ISTANBUL, October 16. /TASS/. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov by phone, a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry told TASS.

"Minister Fidan discussed with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov the situation in Israel and Palestine. They also discussed the Israeli attacks on Gaza," the source said without providing any details.

Turkey's foreign minister paid a visit to Cairo last week. He discussed the situation in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict area with the Egyptian leadership. Meanwhile, Turkey launched humanitarian aid deliveries to Palestine via Egypt.

Fidan held about 20 phone calls with his counterparts from different countries to talk about how to resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the TRT Haber TV channel reported.

Tensions flared up in the Middle East after Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip attacked Israeli territory. Hamas views its attack as a response to Israeli authorities’ steps against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and launched bombardments of the enclave and some areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also reported in the West Bank. More than 2,800 Palestinians have been killed and around 10,900 others injured. In Israel, at least 1,500 people have lost their lives and almost 4,000 have been wounded.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN Secretary General, said earlier that Israel had informed the UN that 1.1 million Palestinians should evacuate to the south of the Gaza Strip within 24 hours. The Israel Defense Forces justified this by saying that Hamas militants were hiding in tunnels under civilian buildings in Gaza. The call for the evacuation also applies to all UN staff, along with those who are taking shelter at UN facilities. Hamas, however, called on people to ignore Israel’s recommendation. It also asked the UN to take measures to prevent people from being forced from their homes. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said during his talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the Jordanian capital that he was against the forcible relocation of Gaza residents.