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Türkiye has delivered 101,271 tons of humanitarian aid materials to Gaza since October 2023, the Communications Directorate announced Tuesday, as the country continues its extensive relief efforts for Palestinians under Israeli blockade and attacks.
The aid delivery represents one of the largest humanitarian operations conducted by Türkiye, involving multiple government agencies and civil society organizations working to provide emergency assistance to Gaza's besieged population.
Türkiye has mobilized its Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, Health Ministry, Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD), Turkish Red Crescent and various nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to maintain uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
The aid was transported via 16 ships and 14 aircraft, delivering essential supplies including 281,238 personal care kits, 550 tons of hygiene supplies, and 1,451 generators.
Additional materials included forklifts, three mobile kitchens, 351 temporary shelter containers, 25,180 tents, 113,608 blankets, and 19,798 sleeping bags.
Ankara provided substantial food assistance, shipping 25,729 tons of food, 65,273 tons of flour, and 3,171 tons of drinking water to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The country also sent 469,486 pieces of clothing and 1,083 toy sets for children.
Medical support included establishing eight field hospitals and sending 53 ambulances and 247.5 tons of medical supplies, with Türkiye evacuating 430 patients and 450 accompanying individuals from Gaza to Türkiye via nine aircraft for medical treatment.
Beyond material aid, Türkiye provided $7.5 million in financial assistance through the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD.
President Erdogan announced additional support, stating that Türkiye's total humanitarian mobilization exceeded $40 million, including assistance to UNRWA.
"Türkiye has delivered over 101,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza to date and has carried out a humanitarian mobilization exceeding $40 million with the support it provided to UNRWA," Erdogan said on World Humanitarian Day.
Addressing global humanitarian challenges, Erdogan stated, "The bitter reality we face on World Humanitarian Day is that more than 300 million people lack the most basic humanitarian needs."
He described this situation as "a truth that shakes humanity's conscience and calls the whole world to responsibility."
The president emphasized humanitarian aid as a matter of conscience above politics, noting Türkiye's position as "one of the world's most generous countries in humanitarian aid relative to gross national income" through its humanitarian diplomacy approach.
Erdogan further stated, "Although the global crises, geopolitical tensions and conflicts the world faces make our humanitarian aid activities difficult, we will never give up on these efforts in any geography where they are needed. We will build a more just world that puts people and human values at the center."
Erdogan reinforced Türkiye's inclusive humanitarian philosophy with its historical tradition: "As Türkiye, with our extensive humanitarian aid tradition from our history, the helping hand we extend in every geography, regardless of the identity and belief of the oppressed, is the strongest indicator of our will to defend human dignity and make our conscience heard."
The president further emphasized the country's open-door policy: "We will never close our doors to people and humanity, whoever they are," adding that helping those in need stems from religious principles. Running to the aid of the oppressed, orphans, the helpless, and the needy, being the family of the lonely is essentially our religion's command to us."
"How happy are those who can make room in their hearts for the oppressed and needy without making any distinction," Erdogan concluded.
The Communications Directorate noted that Türkiye has been "the voice of Gaza on all international platforms, making urgent calls to the world" and showing "intense efforts to stand by the innocent people of Gaza, who have been left to face death by hunger and famine under Israeli attacks since Oct. 7, 2023."
The ongoing humanitarian operation continues as Gaza faces challenges from the Israeli blockade that has persisted for years, with intensified difficulties following attacks that began on Oct. 7, 2023.
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