skip to contentAdvertisementA global hunger monitor determined on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, escalating pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian territory.By: Reuters August 23, 2025 10:53 PM IST First published on: Aug 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM ISTJoinShare ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookEmine Erdogan wrote that she had been inspired by the letter Melania Trump sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month about children in Ukraine and Russia. (Reuters)Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan has written to US President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, and urged her to contact Israel’s prime minister and raise the plight of children in Gaza, authorities in Ankara said on Saturday.Emine Erdogan wrote that she had been inspired by the letter Melania Trump sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month about children in Ukraine and Russia.“I have faith that the important sensitivity you have shown for the 648 Ukrainian children … will be extended to Gaza as well,” Emine Erdogan wrote in the letter dated Friday that was published by the Turkish presidency.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.“These days, when the world is experiencing a collective awakening and the recognition of Palestine has become a global will. I believe that your call on behalf of Gaza would fulfil a historic responsibility toward the Palestinian people,” Emine Erdogan’s letter added.A global hunger monitor determined on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, escalating pressure on Israel to allow more aid into the Palestinian territory.Most ReadIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed that report as an “outright lie”, and said Israel had a policy of preventing not causing starvation.The Gaza war was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.AdvertisementAdvertisementYou May LikeSubscribeSign InJournalism of CourageTop CategoriesLATEST STORIESTurkish first lady urges Melania Trump to speak out on GazaTripura committed to doubling income of fish farmers, becoming self-reliant in fish production: Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu DasMacron discusses Ukraine, Middle East with South Africa’s RamaphosaMCA unveils Sunil Gavaskar statue; names library after former president Sharad PawarSri Lankan ex-president Wickremesinghe shifted to ICU after remandPune’s 14-year-old Aarav Sancheti clinches first Heyball National junior titleHow obsession with chess once led to Gukesh playing for close to 13 hours straight‘History of overlooking history’: Jaishankar says US and Pakistan indulge in ‘politics of convenience’Days after Raj met CM Fadnavis, his son meets Shelar; sets tongues waggingAjit Pawar calls for collective effort to make Pimpri Chinchwad top Swachh SurvekshanGhaziabad man slaps woman 9 times in viral video for feeding stray dogs, arrested2 passengers held with hydroponic weed worth Rs 11.78 crore at Mumbai airportKashmir’s State Investigation Agency arrests Hizbul ‘overground worker’ in South Kashmir‘Remission illegal’: Gujarat HC revokes remission of TADA convict in Congress MLA’s 1989 murderHouse trespassing case against CHB officials: Court highlights ‘agony’ of facing trial for 13 years, modifies order of 6-month sentence with Rs 1,000 fineUS seeks to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he refused to plea offer in smuggling case