The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) continues to support Gaza in cooperation with the Turkish Red Crescent. The seventh ship, carrying 2,737 tons of humanitarian aid supplies prepared under the leadership of the Turkish Red Crescent, was seen off from Mersin International Port on 7 March 2024.

Food parcels containing ready meals, water, flour, clothing, hygiene supplies, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, shelter materials, medical and baby supplies, procured through the cooperation carried out with MÜSİAD, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, donors and civil society organizations, set out for Gaza. The products loaded onto the ship named MARIN comprise the largest humanitarian aid supplies sent to Gaza to date. The 2,737 tons of humanitarian aid supplies will seek to bring relief to our brothers and sisters in Gaza.

President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı and President of the Turkish Red Crescent Fatma Meriç Yılmaz attended the ceremony held at Mersin Port. Speaking at the ceremony, President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı announced that the aid would continue at the end of the month with another ship.

President of the Turkish Red Crescent Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, for her part, said that they were experiencing the excitement of sending to Gaza the largest ship containing basic necessity supplies.

“Another 75,000 parcels will be sent at the end of the month”

President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı said that a campaign had been organized with MÜSİAD members before the month of Ramadan and that ready food packages had been donated there to be sent to Palestine and Gaza. President Asmalı continued as follows:

“Today we saw off from Mersin our Goodness Ship, to which as MÜSİAD we donated 75,000 food parcels containing 2,100,000 ready food packages and which carries approximately 3,000 tons of food, clothing, medical and kitchen supplies. At the end of this month, by sending another 75,000 parcels and 2 ambulances, as MÜSİAD we will continue our support for our oppressed brothers and sisters in Gaza. Before this, we had organized an auction and a food parcel campaign for Gaza. Praise be to God, our members took part in the auction and donated TRY 15 million. Afterwards, donations corresponding to 150,000 parcels were collected through the food parcel campaign. Now it is time to send these to their owners.”

“People in Gaza cannot access their basic needs”

President of the Turkish Red Crescent Fatma Meriç Yılmaz, for her part, explained the importance of these aid efforts being long-term and continuous.

Referring to the fact that they will follow up on the aid, Yılmaz said, "After this ship is unloaded there, it will be loaded again here and sent. We will follow up to the very end on all the trusts that go there; let no one have any doubt. The aid will be loaded onto trucks there and they will see it off all the way in through the Rafah Crossing."

Yılmaz emphasized that during Ramadan the aid will continue both to Gaza and to the earthquake region.

Emphasizing that people are dying of hunger in Gaza, Yılmaz said:

"Right now in Gaza people cannot access water or medicine. They are struggling for life. On the one hand, we will not let go of the hand of our citizens in our earthquake region. There, too, we will set up tables. We will experience large iftar tables, festive Ramadan nights and suhoor nights. On the other hand, we will also continue to say to Gaza 'we have not forgotten you', at the very least by continuing to send our aid."

President of MÜSİAD Mahmut Asmalı also stated that a very great drama and tragedy is being experienced in Gaza.

Conveying that the aid to Gaza will continue, Asmalı said, "We need to multiply goodness. A truly very great tragedy is being experienced there. We do not forget that place in our prayers. Food is currently going to our brothers and sisters there as concrete support. Tomorrow perhaps peace and a ceasefire will be achieved and calm will come. After that, let us continue our aid at the point of rebuilding that place as well."

Stating that the food aid reaches Gaza without any problems, Asmalı thanked those who supported the campaign.