Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Israel’s practice of blocking aid, killing aid workers, blocking evacuations, and allowing humanitarian supplies to rot are crimes against humanity and the “first phase of the genocide”, Al Jazeera reports.

His remarks came after a visit to Egypt’s El Arish port and the Rafah border.

Fidan urged the global community not to remain silent on “Israel’s oppression” and called for “greater efforts” to ensure that aid reaches Gaza without being obstructed or interrupted.