No other war targets women and children like in Gaza — Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that there is no other war where women and children have been directly targeted as much as in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“In the last 13 months, more than two-thirds of the over 50,000 innocent people killed in Gaza were women and children,” said Erdogan on Friday in an address to 6th International Women and Justice Summit in the Turkish commercial capital, Istanbul.

He added that Ankara will continue to stand by its “brothers and sisters” in Gaza and Lebanon, both of them under siege by Israeli offensives, until the massacres stop and a ceasefire and peace are established.

He also said: "The brave women of Palestine, who defended their children, their families, their homeland, and their cause under the bombardments in Gaza, are emerging as monumental figures of pride for the Ummah."

Erdogan also said that he “sincerely” believes that Donald Trump, who this week won a return to the White House after a four-year hiatus, will take the “necessary steps to end wars,” voicing hope that this will happen.​​​​​​​

He expressed hope that Trump, in his second term, will move away from the previous administration's policies regarding Gaza war.

Calling for universal principles for AI

Organised by the Association for Women and Democracy (KADEM), this year's summit is themed "Artificial Intelligence and Women".

Highlighting the transformative impact of digital culture, he said, "We are living in an era where reality and fiction, truth and lies are constantly exchanged."

Erdogan stressed the importance of protecting disadvantaged groups in AI algorithms and databases, and called for universal principles to combat bias.

He warned that technology that excludes women will fail humanity, and emphasised the need for an international declaration to address potential harms before they become entrenched.

Erdogan reiterated Türkiye's commitment to increasing female labour force participation to over 40 percent and employment to over 36 percent by 2028.

He added: "Wherever we are lacking in ensuring women's dignity and equal opportunities, we will fill these gaps".