Turkey’s First Lady, Emine Erdogan, has appealed directly to Melania Trump, urging the former U.S. First Lady to press Israel’s government on the situation of children in Gaza.
The letter, dated Friday and released by Turkey’s presidency, called on Melania Trump to reach out to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Emine Erdogan referenced Melania Trump’s earlier correspondence with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the impact of the war on Ukrainian and Russian children.
“I have faith that the important sensitivity you have shown for the 648 Ukrainian children will be extended to Gaza as well,” Erdogan wrote. She added that in a moment when “the recognition of Palestine has become a global will,” a public appeal on behalf of Gaza would carry historic weight.
Her letter arrived against the dire backdrop of a famine already gripping Gaza City, with international monitors warning the crisis will only worsen without a surge in aid. The White House has not yet commented on her appeal.
Israel rejected the assessment. Netanyahu called the report “an outright lie” and insisted that Israel’s military does not block food, saying its policy is to prevent—not cause—starvation.
The war started with Hamas’s October 7 attack, which Israel says killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. In response, Gaza’s health ministry reports that Israel’s campaign has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians.
The first ladies’ exchange is diplomatically sensitive. While some see Erdogan’s move as a powerful humanitarian symbol, critics question if it can actually change anything.
