This came in a press release issued this week by the Turkish Red Crescent Society, in which it addressed the humanitarian efforts it is making in the Gaza Strip within the framework of psychological and social support for the recovery of children from the effects of war.
The statement explained the details of the new project “Happy Children in Gaza”, which was launched on February 1, 2026 and targets children suffering from the effects of the war that has been ongoing since October 7, 2023.
The Turkish Red Crescent launches the "Happy Children in Gaza" project to support those affected by the war.
The Turkish Red Crescent launches the "Happy Children in Gaza" project to support those affected by the war.
The statement stressed that children in the Gaza Strip are facing extremely difficult humanitarian conditions as a result of the ongoing military operations, in addition to the air, land and sea blockade that has exacerbated the crisis of shortages of electricity, water, health care and food, which has directly affected their daily lives and mental health.
The Turkish Red Crescent noted that its mission in Gaza has continued its humanitarian work without interruption since 2008, despite the increasing field challenges, explaining that the current situation has become more difficult for children who live amidst displacement, loss of relatives, lack of security, and difficulty accessing basic services.
According to the statement, the “Happy Children in Gaza” project relies on a mobile distribution vehicle that was specially equipped for this purpose, as it distributes sweets and snacks daily to about 1,000 children in a number of neighborhoods in northern Gaza, with the possibility of adding ice cream during the summer to the distributions being studied.
The Turkish Red Crescent launches the "Happy Children in Gaza" project to support those affected by the war.
The Turkish Red Crescent launches the "Happy Children in Gaza" project to support those affected by the war.
The statement added that the project aims to reach approximately 360,000 children in the Gaza Strip by the end of 2026, by providing simple support that contributes to alleviating the effects of psychological trauma and enhancing the sense of care and support among affected children.
He pointed to the great contrast between the lives of children in Gaza and children around the world, as many children enjoy opportunities for education, play and safe growth, while children in Gaza live under the weight of the ongoing war and the accompanying loss, displacement and deprivation of the most basic rights.
The Turkish Red Crescent concluded its statement by emphasizing that this initiative comes within its ongoing humanitarian efforts to enhance psychological and social support for children, and to contribute to alleviating their suffering in light of the difficult conditions they live in in the Gaza Strip.
