<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Facing a Mideast region in crisis and a number of pressing bilateral issues, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with issues before them including the ongoing carnage in Gaza, final steps to complete Türkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid, and US approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The meeting, held at Istanbul’s Vahdettin Mansion, also included Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's chief adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic and US Ambassador to Ankara Jeff Flake.</div><div><br></div><div>No further information was shared about the closed-door meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the day, Fidan and Blinken had met one-on-one.</div><div><br></div><div>"At the meeting, Ministers discussed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sweden's NATO accession process, bilateral and regional issues," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on X.</div><div><br></div><div>Following his visit to Türkiye, through Jan. 11, Blinken is set to proceed to Greece, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Egypt.</div><div><br></div><div>During his regional tour, according to the US State Department, Blinken will stress protecting civilian lives, releasing hostages, delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, restoring essential services, and preventing the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.</div><div><br></div><div>He will also address urgent steps to reduce violence, calm rhetoric, and ease tensions, including deterring Houthi attacks in Yemen and avoiding escalation in Lebanon.</div><div><br></div><div>Blinken will reaffirm the US commitment to work with partners for Middle East peace, emphasizing progress towards a Palestinian state alongside Israel, said the department.</div><div><br></div><div>His visit comes amid a rising human catastrophe in the Gaza Strip due to both Israeli attacks and its blockade on the besieged strip.</div><div><br></div><div>Fidan and Blinken have held several phone calls and meetings since Oct. 7 to discuss Gaza among other bilateral issues, including Sweden's NATO accession and the US sale to Türkiye of F-16 fighter jets.</div><div><br></div><div>The toll from the Israeli attacks since Oct. 7 totals 22,600 dead and 57,910 injured, most of them women and children.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities claim the attacks by Hamas have killed around 1,200 Israelis.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines. - Anadolu Agency&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>