Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone that Israel's attacks on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip are unacceptable, reported the local media.

Fidan discussed with Blinken the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Xinhua reported citing the Daily News.

The Turkish top diplomat stressed the importance of an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, adding that Israel's attacks on Rafah are unacceptable.

The report did not mention what Blinken said during the call.

Also on Wednesday, Fidan spoke with Hamas political bureau chief Ismael Haniyeh over the phone to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Israel has launched a large-scale military offensive in Gaza in response to a deadly surprise attack by Hamas militants in southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 others were taken hostage.

Türkiye halted all trade activities with Israel as of May 2 in protest against the latter's "non-stop violence" against the Palestinians in Gaza, where over 35,000 people have been killed so far. Since last week, Israeli troops have started attacking Rafah, where over 1 million people seek refuge from the war, in a bid to eliminate Hamas.