Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underlined the need to put more pressure on Israel for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza on Monday.

The two top diplomats were discussing regional developments in a phone call made at the request of Blinken, Foreign Ministry spokesman Öncü Keçeli said.

Fidan told Blinken that Israel's assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh shows Benjamin Netanyahu's administration is not interested in peace, Keçeli said.

He continued by highlighting that Hamas had previously displayed a positive stance for a cease-fire and that the U.S. needs to keep putting pressure on Israel, as he told Blinken that the escalation of tensions in the region was concerning. Israel needs to refrain from taking provocative steps that would lead to further spillover, Fidan said.

The phone call between the two foreign ministers came after the U.K. joined France and Germany in a call for Middle East de-escalation.

In a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz released Monday, Starmer urged Iran and its allies not to "jeopardize the opportunity to agree to a cease-fire and the release of hostages" in Gaza.

On Oct. 7 last year, Hamas breached defenses in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israel.

Israel's genocidal response has so far resulted in the Palestinian death toll in Gaza approaching 40,000, mostly women and children being killed.

Iran-backed Hezbollah based in Lebanon has traded rocket fire with Israel in recent weeks and Israeli forces assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran at the end of July.

At least 93 people died Saturday when an Israeli airstrike hit a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel claimed it had targeted a Hamas command center at the site, but Hamas denied having a base there.