Türkiye rejects claims that Israel targeted Turkish Red Crescent warehouses

By Mehmet Tosun

The Turkish government’s anti-disinformation arm moved Monday to rebuff claims on social media that Israel targeted Turkish Red Crescent warehouses and damaged a building owned by Türkiye’s state-run Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).

The Center for Combatting Disinformation issued a statement on X saying the building in question, which was reportedly heavily damaged by an Israeli bombardment, was a humanitarian aid warehouse owned by the Palestinian Red Crescent that was built with support from the Turkish Red Crescent.

"The claim that 'Israel targeted Turkish Red Crescent warehouses and caused severe damage to an AFAD building' on certain social media accounts is untrue. The Turkish Red Crescent assisted in constructing the facility for the Palestinian Red Crescent and has no logistical presence in Gaza. Please ignore baseless allegations," said the statement.

Since the weekend, the Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since a surprise offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7.

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip has climbed to 8,306, the Health Ministry in the blockaded enclave said Monday.

“The fatalities include 3,457 children and 2,136 women, while more than 21,048 people were injured,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a news conference in Gaza City.

More than 1,538 Israelis have been killed in the conflict.