turkish First Lady Appeals to Melania Trump Over Gaza Crisis
Emine Erdogan, the First Lady of Turkey, has written a letter to Melania Trump urging her to advocate for the people of Gaza, mirroring a recent appeal made regarding Ukrainian children. The letter specifically requests Mrs. Trump to “show the same sensitivity to Gaza that you have shown to Ukrainian children who have lost their lives in the war” and to directly appeal to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
this outreach follows Mrs. Trump’s recent letter to russian President Vladimir Putin, where she implored him to consider children impacted by the war, without referencing specific cases.
While Mrs. Erdogan typically focuses on environmental issues – work praised by UN Secretary-General antonio Guterres – she has previously engaged in similar diplomatic correspondence. In 2016, she wrote to the spouses of world leaders on behalf of Syrians affected by the civil war, and in March of this year, she condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The letter’s publication coincides with the release of a critical report detailing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report confirms a famine is occurring in and around Gaza City, warning that over 640,000 people will face “catastrophic conditions” between mid-August and the end of September.
The IPC report highlights the severe impact of food shortages on children, noting that roughly one in three children in Gaza are acutely malnourished. Projections indicate that malnutrition will threaten the lives of up to 132,000 children under five by June 2026. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, 114 of the 281 deaths attributed to malnutrition have been children.
Israel disputes the claim of famine, accusing the IPC experts of bias, altering their assessment methods, and relying on data provided by Hamas. The IPC has refuted these accusations.
The report’s release comes as Israel prepares for a new military offensive targeting Gaza city. in the past 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry reported 61 deaths from Israeli attacks, including eight – two of whom were children – due to malnutrition. A strike on a displacement camp in Khan Younis, as reported by Palestinian news agency Wafa, resulted in 19 fatalities.
The current conflict began following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages. Since then, at least 62,122 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry.
The vast majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced, with over 90% of homes damaged or destroyed. The region’s healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems have largely collapsed.
