The 18th Goodness Ship, a humanitarian aid vessel operated by the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay), departed from Mersin Port on Wednesday following an official ceremony to deliver supplies to Gaza.
The ship is expected to reach Egypt’s Al-Arish Port after a three-day voyage, where the aid will be transferred for onward delivery to Gaza, it carries around 800 tons of essential humanitarian aid, including food and blankets to help Palestinians prepare for the approaching winter. The large-scale aid packages prominently feature locally manufactured Turkish products.
Once unloaded, the aid materials will be transferred to trucks and transported to the Rafah Border Crossing in coordination with the Egyptian Red Crescent.
Last month, in coordination with Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), Kızılay sent the 17th Goodness Ship carrying 591,000 cans of sacrificial meat to the region, all of which have successfully entered Gaza.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, Kızılay has delivered over 18,000 tons of aid supplies to Gaza. Additionally, since the first day of the crisis, its field kitchens have been providing daily hot meals and have distributed a total of 8.4 million meals despite the challenging conditions in Gaza. The organization also continues to meet the full operational needs of two hospitals and, whenever possible, distributes food parcels and clothing to those in need.
Following the cease-fire, Kızılay has developed a comprehensive support plan encompassing both the emergency phase and the recovery phase to ensure more effective operations in Gaza. Within the emergency priorities, Kızılay aims to send various humanitarian materials as required and expand kitchen capacity from 25,000 to 35,000 meals per day.
During a press conference held at Mersin Port, Dr. Fatima Meriç Yılmaz, president of Kızılay, highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. She described the territory as “an open-air prison over the past two years,” where families endure relentless threats.
Yılmaz depicted the harsh reality, stating, “Mothers face daily struggles to secure food for their children, while fathers live in constant fear, uncertain when bombs might strike their homes.”
Reflecting on the challenges of delivering aid, she noted: “There have been times when aid could reach Gaza, but there were also periods when the doors were completely shut, and no assistance could get through.” She recounted the destruction with the words, “Hospitals were bombed, people lost their loved ones, and fathers had to bury their children with their own hands.”
Yılmaz referenced the recent cease-fire, expressing hope for lasting peace: “Today, with the cease-fire in place, one we hope will be lasting, we now have the means to deliver aid.” She stressed the urgency of action, saying, “We are committed to quickly mobilizing and reaching those we have not been able to reach.”
She shared how even during complete access blockades, “thanks to our delegation inside Gaza, we continued distributing hot meals through our soup kitchens.”
This support has grown steadily, she affirmed, “We are supporting hospitals and contributing to the health operations of the Palestine Red Crescent.” She emphasized their broader relief work, saying, “We are working to provide clean water distribution as well.”
Detailing the contents of the current shipment, Yılmaz explained that the ship includes 7,500 blankets and ready-to-eat meals that require no preparation. She emphasized the critical situation of vulnerable groups, such as orphans, children who have lost parents, elderly individuals living alone, and people with amputations. To support these communities, the ship carries 50,000 food packages, each designed to provide enough dry food to sustain a family of five for an entire month.
She further highlighted the ongoing distribution of preserved meat packages, stating, “With our 17th Goodness Ship, we sent 510,000 preserved meat packages, including those waiting to be sent and those already delivered, 1 million preserved meat packages have reached Gaza, provided by the generosity of Kızılay donors.”
She also added, “These preserved meats are still being transformed into hot meals at our soup kitchens and are also distributed directly to families.”
