After normalisation with Israel, Turkish aids arrive in Gaza

Turkish aid arrived in the Gaza Strip on Monday via Israel, after the two countries restored ties frozen over a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish ship in 2010.

Turkish and Palestinian officials welcomed 10 truckloads of supplies, including food parcels, toys, children’s clothing and shoes as they reached the impoverished territory in time for the Muslim Eid celebrations on Wednesday marking the end of Ramadan fasting.

“These are the first Turkish aid trucks into Gaza,” Mustafa Sarnıc, Turkey’s ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, told a press conference near the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel.

“Turkey will continue its efforts to help the residents of the Gaza Strip and to help solve the water and power crisis.”

On Sunday, the first Turkish ship carrying aid for Gaza arrived in Israel.

The Panama-flagged Lady Leyla container vessel docked at Ashdod port in the afternoon after departing on Friday, an AFP journalist reported.

Its contents were to be unloaded, inspected and sent on to Gaza, which has been hit by three wars with Israel since 2008 and is under an Israeli blockade.