Turkish medical relief group provides aid to over 600,000 in Gaza amid Israeli onslaught

By Gokce Karakose

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Turkish medical charity has provided emergency and humanitarian aid to more than 40,000 families and over 600,000 Gazans through health services and relief activities over the past year, the group said Monday.

Yeryuzu Doktorlari has continued its operations despite challenging conditions, delivering hygiene kits, essential food supplies, water, and hot meals across the city, according to the group. During Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, the organization distributed sacrificial meat and hot meals to approximately 80,000 people.

Due to the expanded blockades, aid shipments were routed through Jordan and Egypt. The group has also provided psychosocial support to over 10,000 children to help alleviate the trauma caused by the ongoing conflict.

Looking ahead, Yeryuzu Doktorlari aims to help restore Gaza’s health infrastructure, including plans to construct a full-scale hospital once permanent peace is established.

Israel’s brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, initiated after an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, has persisted despite a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. Local health authorities report that nearly 42,000 people, primarily women and children, have been killed, with more than 97,100 injured.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel