January 11, 2009	Sunday	Muharram 13, 1430

ISTANBUL, Jan 10: First ladies from Middle Eastern countries on Saturday added their voices to international demands that Israel halt military attacks on the Gaza Strip, withdraw troops and end its blockade.

Meeting in Istanbul, the wives of the leaders also made a strong plea for international aid to help women and children in the stricken region.

“We, in the name of mothers who attach great importance to peace and human life, request that the international community press Israel to stop its attacks,” said the Turkish prime minister’s wife, Emine Erdogan, reading from a joint declaration issued at the end of their meeting.

“Israel must abide by the UN resolution (calling for a cease-fire). It must lift the embargo. Israel must immediately withdraw its forces from Gaza,” she said.

Jordan’s Queen Rania, Syria’s Asma Assad, Sheika Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned of Qatar and Lebanon’s Wafa Suleyman, were joined by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s daughter, Aisha, and the Pakistani prime minister’s wife, Fauzia Gilani, at the meeting held at a hotel on the shores of the Bosporus.

All wore white shawls -- with the word “peace” inscribed in Turkish, Arabic and English -- over their shoulders.

Before reading out the joint declaration, Emine Erdogan denounced Israel’s military attacks on the Gaza Strip, breaking into the tears as she recounted how children were caught up in the war.

“They were killed while riding their bikes in parks. They sought refuge in schools but were killed there too. They were killed inside mosques. They were taken to hospitals but could not escape the death machines there either,” she said.

“I am speaking and expressing my pain as a mother,” she said.

Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip started on Dec 27, 2008. Over 825 defenceless Palestinians were killed and more than 4000 injured in Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.—AP