Red Crescent Turkey’s Goodness ship arrived on Friday at Egypt’s el-Arish Port with 800 tons of aid that will be delivered to the Gaza Strip, representing the 18th trip done by the vessel since the beginning of the Gaza war, the Turkish state-owned news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Turkish authorities assured that the vessel, which departed on Wednesday from Turkey’s port city of Mersin, is carrying winter blankets, staple foods, and other essential relief supplies.
“There were times when no aid could enter Gaza,” Turkish Red Crescent President Fatma Meric Yilmaz said at the ceremony sending off the ship. “Today, with a ceasefire in place and hopefully lasting peace, we have new ways to deliver help. The Goodness Ships program has been relaunched to reach people who previously could not be assisted.”
Yilmaz also assured that the Turkish Red Crescent is responsible for providing aid to 35,000 people in Gaza and supports hospitals and health operations in the Strip.
The aid arrives as the Hamas terror group claims that the recent weather and rains have deteriorated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "We call upon the guarantors of the agreement, as well as the United Nations, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to take immediate action to deliver humanitarian, medical, and shelter supplies to Gaza," Hamas published.
Turkey steps up its influence on Gaza
The last shipment of aid arrives as Turkey seeks to gain influence in Gaza, with Ankara pushing for a role in the International Stabilization Force (ISF) that will govern the Gaza Strip for the next few years, according to US President Donald Trump's ceasefire deal.
On Sunday evening, Netanyahu convened a meeting on the Turkish issue with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and other senior security officials.
Despite Israel’s objection to the participation of Turkish soldiers in the multinational force, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pressing hard to take part in Gaza’s reconstruction.
“Erdogan, you’ll only see Gaza through binoculars,” Katz posted to X/Twitter on Sunday.
At the same time, Turkey issued arrest warrants for 37 Israeli officials and IDF senior figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on November 7.
The charges stem from allegations that IDF operations have systematically targeted civilians and infrastructure in Gaza, blocked humanitarian aid, and prevented access for medical assistance. The investigation was opened following complaints filed with the Istanbul courts in October 2025.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.