Ankara - Turkey on Monday repeated its call for Israel to halt ground operations immediately in Gaza, with Foreign Minister Ali Babacan once again condemning what he described as a humanitarian tragedy. "Many civilians, many women, many children have been killed. We condemn the ground operations ... We cannot stand by and watch," Babacan said after talks concerning events in the Israel with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem.
"The first thing that must happen is an immediate end to this humanitarian tragedy," Babacan said.
Babacan indicated that Ankara would be willing to take part in a muted international group to observe any ceasefire, saying Turkey would not "run away" from any request.
The foreign minister also said that in the long term conditions in the Gaza Strip must change.
"For a number of years Gaza has been an open prison ... It must become a normal region," Babacan said.
