Palestinian man Abubakir Serag threw his arms around President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's neck in a warm hug when he met the leader at a Turkish-American Steering Committee (TASC) event in New York.

"I'm so happy, this is more than a dream for me. I can't even believe this really happened. I'm 78 years old, and I've loved Erdoğan as I never loved any other leader. If I could, I would wholeheartedly give my life for his safety and well-being."