Turkish ship departs for Gaza with 1,300 tons aid
The Chronify
The ship is scheduled to dock at Egypt’s Port of El-Arish, where the aid will be unloaded and then transferred onward to Gaza.
Türkiye’s Red Crescent has dispatched its 19th “Goodness Ship,” transporting nearly 1,300 tons of humanitarian aid from Mersin Port to support civilians in the Gaza Strip, officials announced yesterday.
Humanitarian relief operations have intensified following the ceasefire in Gaza, with Türkiye continuing to play a leading role in delivering assistance to the besieged enclave.
A departure ceremony was held at Mersin Port for the vessel, which was prepared by the Turkish Red Crescent with contributions from Kosovo. The shipment mainly consists of food items, hygiene materials, clothing, and blankets.
The ship is scheduled to dock at Egypt’s Port of El-Arish, where the aid will be unloaded and then transferred onward to Gaza.
Addressing the ceremony, Turkish Red Crescent Board Member Kamil Karadeniz said the ship symbolizes the compassion, prayers, and humanitarian duty of the Turkish people toward Gaza.
He said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has persisted for more than two years, has deeply affected the conscience of humanity, adding that the Turkish Red Crescent remains attentive to Gaza’s needs on a daily basis.
Karadeniz emphasized that sustained public support has enabled the organization to maintain a continuous channel of solidarity with Gaza.
“So far, we have delivered more than 18,000 tons of humanitarian aid, creating an uninterrupted bridge of hope from Türkiye to Gaza,” he said. “Through our soup kitchens, we have provided hot meals to around 35,000 people under extremely difficult conditions.”
He added that more than 8 million meals have already been distributed, while canned sacrificial meat sent earlier through Goodness Ships—under the coordination of Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD)—has reached Gaza.
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Karadeniz said the latest shipment carries more than essential supplies, describing it as a message of hope, conscience, and human dignity. He thanked the people of Kosovo and all donors who contributed to the relief campaign.
“Each shipment reflects the conscience of our nation, the efforts of our benefactors, and hope born from prayer,” he said. “We will continue to deliver this goodness with the same resolve entrusted to us by our people.”
Kosovo’s ambassador to Ankara, Agon Vrenezi, also spoke at the event, describing the aid as a genuine gesture of solidarity with Gaza’s civilians, who continue to face hardship and uncertainty.
He said Kosovo has contributed $580,000 (€500,000) to the mission in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent.
“Humanitarian assistance is not just about quantities or logistics,” Vrenezi said. “It reflects a shared belief in human dignity and a refusal to remain indifferent to suffering.”
He added that the ship carries not only relief supplies, but also shared compassion, solidarity, and hope for a better future, expressing hope that the aid would reach those in need swiftly and ease their suffering.
Following a prayer attended by Mersin Deputy Governor Murat Çağrı Erdinç and other officials, the 19th Goodness Ship officially departed with its humanitarian cargo.
