Humanitarian activities to Gaza continue at an accelerated pace, led by Turkey, following the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in the sector on October 10, 2025, ending a two-year war of genocide perpetrated by Israel.
The ship, which set sail from Mersin and was prepared by the Turkish Red Crescent with a contribution from Kosovo, is carrying about 1,300 tons of food, cleaning supplies and living necessities.
The ship departed from the port of Mersin amid a farewell ceremony attended by Turkish officials, along with Kosovo's ambassador to Ankara, Agun Frenzi.
The ship is expected to arrive at the port of El Arish in Egypt, and the aid will be unloaded there for later transfer to Gaza
During the ship's send-off, Turkish Red Crescent board member Kamil Karadeniz said, "We gathered today to bid farewell to a journey that carries to Gaza the mercy, prayers, and humanitarian responsibility of the Turkish people."
Karadeniz explained that the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza for more than two years has left deep marks on the conscience of all humanity, noting that the Turkish Red Crescent listens daily to what is happening in Gaza.
For his part, Kosovo's ambassador, Frenzi, said that this aid represents a sincere effort to show solidarity with Palestinian civilians in Gaza who are struggling to survive amid uncertainty and losses.
Frenzi explained that Kosovo had contributed 500,000 euros to the relief mission in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent, noting that humanitarian aid is not limited to numbers, lists, or shipping schedules, and that these efforts reflect a shared belief that human dignity is not tied to circumstances.
The Kosovo ambassador affirmed that "the ship that left the port of Mersin today carries not only the materials we sent, but also feelings of shared compassion, a will for solidarity, and our belief in a more hopeful future."
He expressed his hope that this aid would reach those in need in Gaza as soon as possible, and alleviate, even if only slightly, the difficulties they face.
Since October 8, 2023, Israel’s war of extermination on Gaza has left more than 70,000 Palestinians dead and more than 171,000 wounded, most of them children and women, and caused massive destruction with reconstruction costs estimated by the United Nations at about $70 billion.
