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The Turkish Red Crescent announced that 165 trucks carrying approximately 3,000 tons of food aid for famine-stricken Gazans have begun entering the territory through the Rafah crossing.
The humanitarian organization said it initiated the convoy after Israeli forces temporarily permitted the passage of aid shipments. The food supplies are sufficient to meet the monthly nutritional needs of 50,000 people, according to the Turkish Red Crescent's statement.
Working in coordination with the Egyptian Red Crescent, Turkish Red Crescent teams continue efforts to ensure the aid reaches Gaza's population as quickly as possible. The organization has been providing daily hot meals through soup kitchen operations in Gaza since the first day of the conflict and is also coordinating with the Jordanian Red Crescent to facilitate aid delivery through Jordan.
The aid delivery comes amid escalating concerns over humanitarian worker safety in the territory. Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz condemned an Israeli attack on a Palestinian Red Crescent center in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, that occurred on Sunday.
"The targeting of Palestinian Red Crescent workers, who distribute this aid at the cost of their lives in Gaza where great efforts are made to deliver assistance, is a source of deep sorrow for us," Yilmaz said. "Unfortunately, one aid worker lost their life and two were seriously injured."
The Turkish Red Crescent leader emphasized the need for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, noting that 480 humanitarian workers have died in the territory since Oct. 6.
"Aid workers are not targets, and these attacks are a clear violation not only of international law but also of humanity," Yilmaz stated. "As the Turkish Red Crescent, we reiterate our call once again: a permanent cease-fire must be established in Gaza, and civilians and aid workers must be protected."
The delivery represents one of the largest single humanitarian shipments to enter Gaza in recent months, as international organizations struggle to provide adequate assistance amid ongoing hostilities and access restrictions.
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