UPDATE - Turkish President Erdogan in Riyadh for joint Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza

UPDATES WITH TURKISH PRESIDENT’S ARRIVAL, CHANGES HEAD, LEDE

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday for an extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.

His plane took off from the Esenboga Airport in the capital Ankara at 9:30 a.m. local time (0630 GMT). Erdogan is accompanied by Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin, and Chief Advisor to the President Ambassador Akif Cagatay Kilic.

Erdogan was welcomed by Saudi Royal Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, Turkish Ambassador to Riyadh Fatih Ulusoy, and other officials.

The oil-rich kingdom is hosting two summits of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Representatives of the Islamic world will exchange ideas about concrete steps to be taken regarding the recent developments.

Erdogan is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the participating leaders.

For days, the Israeli army has been escalating its attacks against hospitals in the Gaza Strip, launching violent raids that led to deaths and injuries, in addition to great concern about the fate of the displaced people in those hospitals.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 11,078 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar