Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on Wednesday unveiled the “Hand In Hand For Gaza” aid campaign for the Palestinian enclave suffering under Israeli oppression. The campaign is organized by Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and will be held during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, an occasion of charity. AFAD coordinates with local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to accumulate aid. “We hope to be a breath of life and a source of hope for those in need. We will not leave Gaza alone during Ramadan,” Yerlikaya said at a news conference in the capital, Ankara.
Yerlikaya said the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and NGOs have already sent 15 humanitarian aid ships to Gaza. “We delivered over 96,000 tons of aid and set up eight field hospitals. We also sent 53 ambulances and two medical search and rescue vehicles,” he said. Yerlikaya stressed that regardless of religion, language, sect, or ethnicity, Türkiye has always stood by those in need worldwide and will continue to do so.
Recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's words about the resilience of the people of Gaza, Yerlikaya said, "The cause of the Palestinians is our cause. The suffering of Palestine is our suffering. The freedom of Palestine is the reconstruction of human dignity."
Yerlikaya also provided an update on the casualties of Israel's attacks on Gaza, mentioning over 61,000 civilian deaths, 112,000 injuries and nearly 2 million Gazans displaced from their homes. He added: "Since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza, AFAD has been working tirelessly to provide urgent and humanitarian aid to our Palestinian brothers and sisters. In coordination with AFAD, we have created an air bridge with the Ministry of National Defense and conducted 14 airlift operations. We have also delivered more than 25,000 tents to Gaza and are preparing to send over 400 containers, which will soon be set up,” he said. He emphasized that all efforts are aimed at supporting the Palestinian people who are defending their homeland, dignity and honor against oppression.
