Families living under blockade in Gaza have experienced the joy of eating meat for the first time in seven months, receiving canned meat aid delivered through donations from the Turkish people.

Hina Ismail, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support, highlighting the severe food shortages her family has endured.

Living in temporary tents in the Jabalia area of Gaza, Hina’s family had faced extreme food insecurity, unable to consume meat for more than half a year. "We had no food or flour at home. Our children had not eaten meat for about seven months,” Hina Ismail said. "Thanks to the Turkish Red Crescent's (Kızılay) generous aid, our children are finally able to enjoy meat again, bringing us great happiness. May Allah bless their efforts.”

According to reports from the World Food Programme, Gaza’s entire population suffers from acute food insecurity. Nearly half a million residents face life-threatening conditions due to hunger. Protein deficiency, especially, poses a critical risk to children’s healthy development and immune system strength.

In response to this crisis, Kızılay has implemented a donated meat campaign. Donated sacrificial animals slaughtered during Eid al-Adha are processed into long-lasting canned meat within Türkiye and shipped to regions like Gaza when humanitarian aid routes are accessible. These canned meats provide a vital source of protein and nutrition for those living in dire conditions.

This year, over 350,000 cans of the donated meat have been prepared for distribution in Gaza. Additionally, Kızılay continues to offer daily hot meals to thousands of people through a local soup kitchen, maintaining ongoing support to the Gaza population amid difficult circumstances.

The generosity of the Turkish people and Kızılay’s ongoing efforts are providing much-needed relief to families like Hina’s, helping to alleviate hunger and improve nutrition in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.