Erdogan, Mishri Discuss Latest Developments in Libya

Military training in Libya supervised by Turkish officers south of Tripoli. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Military training in Libya supervised by Turkish officers south of Tripoli. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Erdogan, Mishri Discuss Latest Developments in Libya

Military training in Libya supervised by Turkish officers south of Tripoli. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Military training in Libya supervised by Turkish officers south of Tripoli. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Wednesday with Head of Libya’s High Council of State Khalid al-Mishri at the presidential palace in Ankara.

The meeting comes in line with Turkey’s intensive contacts on the developments in Libya and the ongoing preparations for the elections scheduled for December 24.

The senior figures discussed the developments in Libya and the upcoming elections, which Mishri rejects. He says the elections might lead to civil war if staged as planned.

According to Turkish sources, Erdogan stressed Turkey’s support for the Libyan government to achieve stability.

Election results will not be recognized because they lack credibility and acceptance by Libyans, Mishri says. He stresses that Libya’s stability relies on the extent to which parties commit to UN decisions.

Mishri says the laws related to the presidential and parliamentary elections include inaccuracies and violations, and that they were approved by the High National Election Commission without being presented to members of the House of Representatives for discussion and voting.

Prior to his meeting with Erdogan, Mishri met Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and discussed with him the current political situation and latest developments in Libya, the FM wrote on Twitter.

He expressed hope that stability, prosperity and peace would prevail in Libya, stressing Ankara’s continuous support.

Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop also received Mishri and discussed with him the bilateral ties and developments in Libya.

Sentop underscored the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in all fields, including infrastructure, education, security, defense, development and trade.

Mishri hailed Turkey’s firm stances and support for Libya to confront all the challenges. He supports the Turkish military presence in Libya and hopes to expand ties with it in various fields.



Palestinian Death Toll from Israel-Hamas War Surges Past 38,000

FILE PHOTO: Palestinians walk near houses destroyed in the Israeli military offensive as they struggle with food scarcity, basic necessities amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 19, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Palestinians walk near houses destroyed in the Israeli military offensive as they struggle with food scarcity, basic necessities amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 19, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo
TT

Palestinian Death Toll from Israel-Hamas War Surges Past 38,000

FILE PHOTO: Palestinians walk near houses destroyed in the Israeli military offensive as they struggle with food scarcity, basic necessities amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 19, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Palestinians walk near houses destroyed in the Israeli military offensive as they struggle with food scarcity, basic necessities amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, June 19, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo

The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Thursday that the Palestinian death toll from nearly nine months of war has surged past 38,000.
The ministry said that in the last 24 hours, the bodies of 58 people had been brought to hospitals, bringing the overall death toll to 38,011, the Associated Press reported.
It said more than 87,000 people have been wounded in the fighting.
The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and noncombatants in its count, but many of the dead are said to be women and children.

The war began when Hamas-led group launched a surprise attack on Oct. 7 into southern Israel, attacking multiple army bases and farming communities and killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted another 250 people, more than 100 of whom were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November. Hamas is still holding around 80 hostages and the remains of 40 others.
Israel launched a major offensive in response to the Oct. 7 attack that has killed more than 37,900 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza, who don't say how many were civilians or militants.

The war has caused vast destruction across the territory, displaced most of its population of 2.3 million — often multiple times — caused widespread hunger and raised fears of famine.