Turkey Launches Largest Aid Mission to Gaza Yet

Turkey’s Red Crescent, Kizilay, is planning to embark on its most significant humanitarian mission to Gaza yet, sending a colossal aid shipment through Egypt to the beleaguered enclave. Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza—which has escalated following an attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7—Turkey has vocally criticized Israel’s military actions and has called for the international community to hold Israel accountable at the World Court for genocide. As the situation in Gaza worsens, particularly in the north where aid access is severely restricted, Turkey’s efforts, in collaboration with the Egyptian Red Crescent, aim to bring much-needed relief to the residents.

The shipment, setting sail for the Egyptian port of Al-Arish, comprises approximately 3,000 tons of food, medicine, and other essential supplies. “This aid, which will be delivered to Gaza with the support and cooperation of the Egyptian Red Crescent, will keep the hopes of Palestinians alive on the eve of Ramadan,” stated Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Sen.

Kizilay’s head, Fatma Meric Yilmaz, detailed the logistics of the mission to broadcaster CNN Turk, noting that the aid would require two voyages to Egypt and then transportation via some 200 trucks to Rafah in Gaza. The contents of the aid packages include flour, hygiene products, ready-to-eat meals, ambulances, and portable kitchens, aimed at addressing both the immediate and longer-term needs of the over one million people seeking refuge in Gaza.

The initiative is part of Turkey’s broader effort to support the Palestinian people, differing from the stance of its Western allies and some Gulf nations by not designating Hamas as a terrorist organization.