By Anadolu staff
RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Heads of Turkish state-run aid agencies held discussions with Palestinian officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday over the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Oktay Memis, head of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), and Fatma Meric Yilmaz, head of the Turkish Red Crescent, held talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent, Younis Al-Khatib, about the assistance that will be provided to Gaza amid the worsening humanitarian crisis due to Israeli attacks.
Addressing a joint news conference following their meeting in Ramallah, Memis said: “11 Turkish planes and 11 ships carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza have arrived in the past days in the Egyptian city of El-Arish upon the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.”
The AFAD chief said a new ship departed from the port of Mersin, southern Türkiye, to El-Arish, loaded with aid for Gaza.
The aid included eight field hospitals, 20 ambulances, two medical rescue vehicles, 200 tons of medical supplies, 847 power generators, 3,000 food parcels, and 160 tons of drinking water, he elaborated.
Memis also said that “54 personnel from AFAD and the Red Crescent are currently waiting in El-Arish to enter Gaza.”
Relief aid will also be provided by Turkish non-governmental organizations, he said, adding that “AFAD aims to oversee the organization of humanitarian aid, which will continue in the coming days.”
*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala