Türkiye to send nearly 2,700 tons of aid supplies to Gaza

By Yesim Sert Karaaslan

The head of Turkish Red Crescent on Sunday said another batch of nearly 2,700 tons of aid supplies will be sent to the Gaza Strip, where Israeli attacks have led to severe shortage of food and other necessities.

Another ship carrying aid to Gaza is being prepared by Red Crescent teams, Fatma Meric Yilmaz said on X.

She said the loading of aid materials onto the ship is ongoing, and the vessel will soon depart from Türkiye’s southern Mersin province for Egypt.

"Afterwards, our aid supplies will be transported to Gaza from the Rafah border crossing in trucks," she said.

More than 30,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. About 1,200 people were killed in the initial attacks by Palestinian group Hamas.

More than half a million people in Gaza are on the brink of famine, the UN has warned.

Distribution of aid has been hampered by military operations, communications blackouts and shortages of fuel.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz