Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah

Qatar has signed an agreement to buy 24 Typhoon fighter jets from Britain, a second major defense deal signed by Doha during its lengthening diplomatic dispute with its neighbors.

Qatari Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah has conditioned the lifting of a blockage imposed on his country by four Arab states before engaging in any dialogue with its neighbors.

"Lifting the siege should precede any dialogue," al-Attiyah said in an interview with Russia Today, excerpts of which was published by Qatar's official news agency on July 25.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu traveled to New York to take part in a new round of talks focused on ending the more than four-year-old conflict in Syria, where he met his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and Qatar in a trio meeting.

Turkish and Qatar continue efforts for a lasting cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, as the death toll in Gaza exceeds 1,700 as of Aug. 3.