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The Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) dispatched its 18th “Goodness Ship” carrying around 800 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza from the Port of Mersin on Wednesday.
The shipment marks another major humanitarian effort as aid operations accelerate following the recently established ceasefire in Gaza.
The ship, prepared under the coordination of the Turkish Red Crescent, carries mainly food and blankets, according to the organization.
The aid is expected to arrive at Egypt’s Al-Arish Port after a three-day journey, where it will then be transferred to Gaza.
Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz said during the farewell ceremony that Gaza “remains a wound on humanity’s conscience.”
“There were times when all crossings were closed, and no aid could enter,” she said. “Hospitals were bombed, people lost their loved ones, and parents buried their children with their own hands.”
Yilmaz said the recent ceasefire opened limited routes for assistance, adding: “We have restarted our ‘Goodness Ship’ series to reach those we couldn’t reach before.”
Yilmaz said the 18th ship includes 7,500 blankets and ready-to-eat food for orphans, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
“There are also 50,000 food parcels that can meet a five-member family’s needs for a month,” she added.
She recalled that the 17th ship had delivered 510,000 canned meat products, noting that a total of 1 million cans have been distributed or are being used in soup kitchens for hot meals.
Yilmaz emphasized that Türkiye will continue its humanitarian efforts for Gaza.
“Our hope and prayer are for the crossings to remain open and for a permanent cease-fire to begin,” she said. “We will continue sending the compassion, solidarity, hope, and prayers of the Turkish nation through our Goodness Ships.”
She also expressed her wish that “such suffering never happens anywhere else in the world” and said Gazans have endured a tragedy “that will be remembered for centuries.”
The ceremony was attended by Mersin Governor Atilla Toros and local officials. After prayers were recited, the ship departed from the port for its three-day voyage to Egypt.
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