Emine Erdogan, Turkey’s First Lady, has publicly urged Melania Trump to advocate for children suffering in Gaza due to the ongoing conflict. In a letter released by the Turkish presidency, Mrs. Erdogan commended Mrs. Trump’s support for children affected by the war in Ukraine and requested that she extend that advocacy to Palestinian children in Gaza.
Mrs. Erdogan described the situation in Gaza as dire, referring to it as a “children’s cemetery.” She called for a united voice against the injustices faced by these children, referencing serious humanitarian concerns raised by UN-backed food security experts, who report that approximately half a million people are suffering from famine in Gaza. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has indicated that around 132,000 children are at risk of malnutrition.
In her letter, Mrs. Erdogan requested that Mrs. Trump demonstrate the same sensitivity to the crisis in Gaza that she has shown for Ukrainian children. Additionally, she suggested that Mrs. Trump reach out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Historically, Mrs. Erdogan has focused more on environmental issues and has previously engaged in humanitarian letters, including those concerning the Syrian civil war and actions in Gaza. The IPC report highlighted that over 640,000 people in Gaza could face catastrophic conditions, particularly affecting children, with one in three being acutely malnourished.
While Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry has reported high infant mortality due to malnutrition, Israel has disputed claims of famine and accused IPC experts of bias, asserting that their methodology has been flawed. The humanitarian situation is exacerbated by ongoing military actions; recent reports noted numerous casualties from airstrikes, including children.
The overall situation remains complex, with significant population displacement and infrastructural collapse in Gaza following the escalation of conflict that began on October 7, 2023.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn47ppy382wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss