Turkish humanitarian aid reaches Gaza from Israeli sea port

GAZA, June 22 (KUNA) -- Turkish humanitarian aid arrived in the blockaded Gaza Strip on Thursday, Gaza officials said, a day after arriving on a ship at an Israeli port from Turkey.
Loaded with 10,000 tonnes of supplies, Aqua Stella docked at southern Israel's Ashdod port on Wednesday. From the port, the aid made its way across land through Gaza's southeastern Karam Abu Salem border crossing.
The supplies include 50,000 food parcels, 50,000 clothes, 18,000 toys and over 1,000 bicycles, the Gaza government's deputy minister of social affairs Youssef Ibrahim told a press conference.
They represent gifts for the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The move was carried out for the second year in a row, Turkey's ambassador told reporters standing alongside the Gazan official, and come after a similar initiative during Ramadan.
Turkey will continue to stand side by side with the people of Gaza, who suffer from a blockade, poverty and unemployment, said the ambassador.
The diplomat also expressed Turkey's hope that the Israeli siege on Gaza may be lifted, for the Palestinian people to be able to live in dignity and freedom, and for peace to thrive between the two sides. (end) wab.sd