Gaza ready to receive 11,000 tons of Turkish aid

By Ola Atallah

GAZA, Palestine

Preparations have been made to receive the 11,000 tons of aid that was delivered by ship from Turkey earlier Sunday, authorities said.

“The aid may arrive at the Gaza Strip on Monday through the Kerem Shalom border crossing,” the Social Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

The aid -- consisting of flour, rice, sugar, food packages and toys -- arrived in the Israeli port of Ashdod aboard the Lady Leyla on Sunday afternoon.

The ministry said once the supplies are delivered by the Turkish Red Crescent they would be swiftly distributed across the enclave.

A Palestinian border official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said the first aid truck was expected Monday. “We have finished all the arrangements to receive the Turkish aid,” the official said.

He added that a Turkish delegation inspected the method of transferring the aid through Kerem Shalom, Gaza’s only working commercial crossing, on Saturday evening.

The ship set sail Friday following a reconciliation deal between Turkey and Israel after a six-year hiatus.

Diplomatic ties between the countries were suspended after Israeli troops stormed the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship in international waters in May 2010, killing 10 Turkish activists.