'Let us be voice of Palestinians,' says Turkish first lady

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Thursday called for a uniting voice for the Palestinians.

"We made a joint call for peace as #UnitedForPeaceInPalestine with first ladies and representatives of countries from around the world for the innocents we can save in Gaza who are still alive.

"Each of us has a strong voice on our own, and when we work together, our united voice is even louder," Erdogan said on X.

Her remarks came a day after she hosted the 'United for Peace in Palestine Summit' with other first spouses from around the world in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul as part of Ankara’s efforts to end the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

"Let us be the voice of the Palestinians. Let us join our voices right now to call for a cease-fire for them and the rest of the world," she added.

As the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip entered its 41st day, Türkiye has been unwavering in his support for Palestine.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, on Oct. 7.

At least 11,500 Palestinians have since been killed, including more than 7,800 women and children, and more than 29,200 injured, according to the latest figures from Palestinian authorities.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel's relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.