First Lady Emine Erdoğan visited Palestinian children who were brought to Türkiye to receive medical treatment after being injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
Erdoğan went to the Etlik City Hospital in the capital Ankara and visited 16 Palestinian children receiving treatment. She was accompanied by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca, the hospital’s head coordinator physician Dr. Bülent Güngörer and the head of the Pediatrics Hospital, Dr. Ferit Kulalı and other doctors, who briefed her about the medical condition of the children.
The first lady spoke with the relatives of the Palestinian patients and hugged them to wish them and their loved ones a speedy recovery amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Emotionally devastated by the Palestinian children’s suffering, Erdoğan played with them and distributed toys.
She also visited the 9-year-old girl Retal Ashour, who made headlines when she said “I cannot feel my legs,” and her doctors informed her that she would recover.
Meanwhile, 6-year-old Palestinian girl Zaina Jarbou sang a song to the first lady, called “A little girl.”
Türkiye has made various efforts to assist Palestinians in need. Erdoğan, alongside the president, is a prominent advocate for the Palestinian cause, emphasizing the importance of establishing an independent Palestinian state. She also oversees initiatives to offer treatment and shelter to children affected by the conflict in besieged cities.
Last month, in a show of global solidarity for Palestinians, first ladies from different countries gathered in Istanbul for a summit hosted by Erdoğan, where the Turkish first lady called on all the first ladies in the world to be “a voice of Gaza,” and to stop Israeli attacks that killed thousands of Palestinians so far.
