Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators flooded Istanbul’s historic Beyazit Square this weekend, marching by torchlight to denounce Israel’s genocide and blockade of Gaza.

“Be a Light of Hope for Gaza”, read banners as activists, civil society representatives, and ordinary citizens carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans: “The children of Gaza are waiting for us.”.

Organised by a coalition of 15 Turkish non-governmental organisations under the banner of the Palestine Solidarity Platform, the rally began after the evening prayers and wound through the Grand Ayasofya Mosque.

The torchlit procession came amid one of the deadliest chapters in Gaza’s history.

Israeli forces have killed more than 61,000 Palestinians since October 2023. And since March, Israel has cut off humanitarian aid for the enclave’s 2.4 million residents.

On 11 August, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he had called for a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s foreign ministers to coordinate an urgent international response against the military occupation of Gaza.

“To be a light of hope for Gaza, we have mobilised all the resources of our state and our full diplomatic capacity,” he said.

For years, Türkiye has stood as one of Palestine’s closest friends. This bond has only strengthened since October 7, 2023. 

The press office of the Turkish Red Crescent tells TRT World that it has delivered more than 15,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza since October 2023 through what are described as Goodness Ships. 

So far, the shipments, equivalent to 869 truckloads, 1900 tons of relief, which includes vast quantities of food, hygiene products, shelter equipment and medical supplies.

These were shipped and transferred via The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees, and delivered into Gaza.

Aboard “Ship of Goodness”

Since October 2023, sixteen aid ships have departed from the southern Turkish port of Mersin for Egypt’s Al-Arish Port, with the Turkish Red Crescent leading five of these “Goodness Ship” missions and contributing to ten of them.

In Gaza itself, the Turkish Red Crescent operates field kitchens in both the north and south, each with a daily capacity of 15,000 meals. To date, it has distributed 6,731,500 hot meals.

It has also sourced aid directly from local markets, procuring 400 tonnes of essentials such as food parcels, hygiene kits and blankets.

One of the most urgent needs has been clean water.

Since 29 November 2024, the Turkish Red Crescent has delivered drinking water by tanker truck, providing each family with 20 litres per day, a total of 20 tonnes daily. So far, 1,660,000 litres have reached civilians, with plans to resume distributions as soon as security conditions allow.

Aid has also flowed through Jordan, where 5,000 food parcels were procured; half, 2,500 parcels, were delivered into Gaza on 27 February 2025, with efforts under way to secure entry for the remainder.

Despite the risks, the Turkish Red Crescent remains one of the few humanitarian organisations able to operate on both Palestinian and Israeli territory, a capability it retains through its membership in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Türkiye stands with Gaza

Since October 2023, Türkiye has delivered more than 101,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

This includes over 25,000 tons of food, 3,000 tons of drinking water, and over 25,000 tents. Three mobile kitchens, 470,000 pieces of clothing, and more than 1000 toy sets for children were also sent.

Medical support has included eight field hospitals, over 50 ambulances, and 250 tons of medical supplies.

A total of $7.5 million has been donated to the Egyptian Red Crescent, $7 million from Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and $500,000 from the Turkish Red Crescent.

Türkiye has also hosted 430 patients evacuated from Gaza, where health facilities have been heavily damaged by Israeli attacks.

From the president’s and foreign minister’s calls for an urgent ceasefire to the Red Crescent’s convoys of food, water and medicine, the country has positioned itself as one of Gaza’s most vocal and tangible supporters.

As the torchlit procession reached the Grand Ayasofya Mosque, the flicker of flames lit up the banners and Palestinian flags waving in the summer night. The message, repeated in speeches and chants, was clear: Türkiye’s support for Gaza is not only a matter of policy but of principle.