ISTANBUL 

The Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) on Wednesday dispatched its 18th “Goodness Ship” loaded with around 800 tons of humanitarian aid, including winter relief items and food supplies, to Gaza, as relief efforts accelerate following the recently declared ceasefire.

The ship, which departed from the Mediterranean port of Mersin, carries mainly food supplies and winter relief materials, including 7,500 blankets and 50,000 family food packages designed to meet a household’s monthly needs.

Speaking at the send-off ceremony, Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz said Gaza remains “a wound on humanity’s conscience,” adding that the organization will continue to send aid “as long as the gates remain open.”

“There were times when no aid could enter Gaza, hospitals were bombed, and families buried their loved ones with their own hands,” she said. “Now that a ceasefire is in place, we hope it becomes permanent so we can reach more people in need.”

Yilmaz noted that despite restrictions, the Turkish Red Crescent has maintained daily operations in Gaza, providing hot meals to about 35,000 people and supporting hospitals and Palestinian Red Crescent health services.

She emphasized that the new shipment focuses on helping civilians facing harsh winter conditions and food shortages, particularly orphans, the elderly, and the disabled.

“Our Goodness Ships carry the compassion, solidarity, and hope of the Turkish people to Gaza,” Yilmaz said. “We will continue until Gaza stands on its feet again.”

The vessel is expected to reach Egypt’s El-Arish Port within three days, where its cargo will be transferred to trucks for delivery into Gaza through border crossings.