First ladies will band together in Istanbul on Wednesday for a summit hosted by Emine Erdoğan. Spouses of heads of state and representatives of several organizations will attend the meeting on Palestine as a humanitarian drama unfolds in the Gaza Strip.
The summit at the presidential office in Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe aims to give a message of solidarity with innocent civilians trapped in the Palestinian city under heavy bombardment from Israel and a relentless blockade. Gaza, along with several other Palestinian cities, has been exposed to brutal Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, when a new stage of the Palestine-Israel conflict began. More than 11,000 people were killed in the conflict, including children.
The Turkish first lady has been outspoken in criticism of Israel and calls for aid to Palestinians deprived of basic needs in besieged Gaza.
The ultimate list of participants is not clear yet but first ladies and representatives from Qatar, Malaysia and Uzbekistan are expected to attend the summit.
Emine Erdoğan organized a similar summit in 2009 in Istanbul. The meeting entitled “Women for Peace in Palestine” brought together first ladies at a time of some 800 deaths in two weeks in Israel’s attacks in Gaza back then.
Since the latest round of the Palestine-Israel conflict erupted a month ago, the Turkish Presidency, government and nation stood united to put an end to the killing of Palestinian civilians and alleviate their plight through diplomacy and humanitarian aid efforts.
Türkiye is working hard to defend the Palestinian cause as Israel mercilessly continues its killing of civilians in Palestinian territories, from Gaza to the West Bank.
Immediately after a new stage of the conflict broke out on Oct. 7, the country mobilized to put an end to what the government says are war crimes amounting to genocide targeting Palestinians.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a staunch defender of the rights of Palestinians in the international community, has held meetings and phone calls with presidents and prime ministers of 27 countries since Oct. 7 for a solution to the issue and an urgent cease-fire.
Türkiye believes a “two-state solution” with a fully independent Palestinian state is the only way to resolve the issue permanently.
On the humanitarian front, Türkiye arranged several initiatives for assistance to Palestinians.
Emine Erdoğan, along with the president, champions the Palestinian cause for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and has been vocal in her criticism of Israel’s indiscriminate attacks violating international laws in Gaza. She is also supervising efforts for the treatment and sheltering of Palestinian children from besieged Palestinian cities.
Addressing an event last week, she said that they were following in the footsteps of their ancestors, working to end the bloodshed, “whether in Gaza, Ukraine, Jerusalem, Yemen, Baghdad, Aleppo or Damascus.” “We stand by all the oppressed of the world and work for establishing permanent peace,” she said. The first lady said Gaza was cut off from the world in the 21st century, “right before the eyes of humanity.” “Hospitals, ambulances, warehouses of the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, places of worship and schools are targeted. Aid trucks kept waiting on the border, water and energy cut off, our floating field hospitals are blocked. Earth is witnessing an unprecedented savagery we cannot even call a war,” she said.
“Equipped with high technology, the Israeli army systematically attacks civilians, particularly children, to wipe out a nation. Contravening international law, they use weapons of mass destruction against innocent children. They slaughter humanitarian values as well,” she added.
