Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was overwhelmed with emotion when he received the gift of an olive branch and tomatoes sent to him by Palestinians from Gaza.

"These olives that were planted there represent the sound of freedom. Hopefully Gaza, from where these olive branches hailed from, will reclaim its freedom as soon as possible," said Erdoğan who then asked if the tomatoes brought from Gaza had been washed. When the female authority who brought the prime minister the basket of tomatoes said "no" Erdoğan proceeded to hold up both the tomato and the olive branch for photographers.

The Turkish Red Crescent Society delegates reelected Ahmet Lütfi Akar as president during an election held at the General Assembly.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Erdoğan also paid a visit to Esedullah İbrahimi, Afghanistan Parliament Speaker Hacı Abdul Rauf İbrahimi's brother who is receiving medical treatment at the Atatürk Education and Research Hospital. Erdoğan spent nearly 20 minutes with the patient.