The Turkish first lady, Emine Erdogan, has sent a letter to United States President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, urging her to contact Israel’s prime minister and raise the issue of Gaza children‘s plight.
Emine Erdogan wrote on Friday that she was inspired by the letter Melania sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month about the state of children in Ukraine and Russia.
Emine Erdogan praised Melania’s stance, writing, “As you stated in your letter, every child has the universal and undeniable right to grow up in a loving and safe environment.”
She added that this right is not exclusive to any region, ethnicity, religion, or ideology, and that supporting the oppressed who are denied this right is a fundamental responsibility towards the human family.
Emine Erdogan urged Melania Trump to demonstrate the same sensitivity for Gaza, where 62,000 innocent civilians, including 18,000 children, were brutally murdered within two years.
She quoted Melania Trump’s letter to Putin, where she wrote, “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger.”
The situation in Gaza has reached a critical point, with a global hunger monitor determining that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine.
Aid agencies have blamed Israel for the famine and have called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow the entry of aid, waiting outside Gaza’s border. Netanyahu has dismissed the United Nations declaration of famine as an “outright lie”.
Multiple human rights organisations have called Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide and called for a ceasefire and the entry of aid into the territory.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes.
The international community is urged to take action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to bring about an end to the conflict.
Key Developments
- Turkish First Lady’s Letter: Emine Erdogan urges Melania Trump to speak out for Gaza’s children and contact Israel’s prime minister.
- Famine in Gaza: A global hunger monitor determines that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine.
- International Response: Multiple human rights organisations call Israel’s actions in Gaza genocide and call for a ceasefire and the entry of aid into the territory.
- ICC Arrest Warrants: The International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes.