Ashraf AboArafe writes
THE Egyptian vocalist Alaa Ayoub moved her audience deeply, singing beautiful, melancholic melodies in both Arabic and Turkish that earned widespread praise and admiration from everyone present, as her selections gracefully balanced the classic masterpieces of the “Star of the Orient” Umm Kulthum with the beloved Turkish ballad “Sağım Yalan Solum Yalan.” Far from a mere fleeting interlude, this performance was a poetic announcement of the birth of a brilliant and promising young artist. Her golden voice resonated with the authentic depth of the East and the enchanting allure of pure melody, weaving an emotional tapestry that intimately connected the banks of the Nile to the shores of the Bosphorus.
Standing alongside this resonant voice was a vibrant, exceptionally promising young band. Striking their chords with profound sensitivity, they performed a living symphony of solidarity and timeless hope, serving as true ambassadors of human emotion. They proved beautifully that music remains the highest language—one where distances dissolve and shared dreams unite.
An Unwavering Humanitarian and Diplomatic Push
Ambassador Şen: “Alongside Egypt and our sister nations, we will never allow the Palestinian cause to be erased from the global agenda.”
CAIRO — In a powerful demonstration of solidarity and deep fraternal bonds, the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Cairo, in close and complete cooperation with the Embassy of Palestine, hosted a remarkably moving solidarity event titled “The Gathering of Palestinian and Egyptian Families” on July 1, 2026.
The event brought together 270 families—including 220 from Palestine and 50 from Egypt—at the Ambassador’s residence. In a beautiful spirit of mutual support, and through a fruitful partnership between the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs and the Aziz Mahmoud Hüdayi Foundation, vital food and financial aid were distributed to the families in attendance to support their resilience and alleviate their hardships.
The gathering also drew immense media and cultural interest, attended by over 120 Egyptian journalists, digital content creators, and prominent artists from both Egypt and Palestine. Together, they witnessed a warm, historic evening where the soul of art fused seamlessly with the sanctity of the cause.
Strategic Coordination for Lasting Peace
During his address, the Turkish Ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen, emphasized that Turkey has mobilized all diplomatic and humanitarian resources since the very first day of the conflict to ensure the living voice of the Palestinian people is heard across all international forums.
“Turkey played a pivotal role in drafting the peace framework signed in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, 2025, alongside active participation from Egypt, the United States, and Qatar. We remain fully committed to our tireless efforts to ensure the comprehensive and actual implementation of this peace plan in Gaza.”
— Ambassador Salih Mutlu Şen
Ambassador Şen highlighted that this position stems from the profound empathy and sensitivity of the Turkish people, guided by the directives of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to defend the oppressed and vulnerable worldwide, foremost among them their brothers and sisters in Palestine. He asserted that Turkey will never allow the Palestinian cause to slip from the global spotlight, noting that trilateral coordination between Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar as mediators is ongoing to transition into the second phase of the peace process and to compel Israel to fulfill its Phase 1 commitments.
Healing Wounds and Standing Firm on the Homeland
The Ambassador reiterated that Turkey’s core mission, alongside brotherly nations like Egypt, is to heal the wounds of Gazans and find real solutions to their daily suffering and pain. He declared that Palestinians, like all people on Earth, possess the fundamental and legitimate right to live freely, safely, and peacefully with dignity in their own independent state, adding: “The Palestinian cause has no life without its people.”
Ambassador Şen paid tribute to the immense resilience of the Palestinian people and their steadfast attachment to their land in defiance of all displacement schemes, pointing out:
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Israel has not abandoned its systematic plans to depopulate the Gaza Strip.
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The intentions of the Israeli government, particularly its extremist factions, to impose a unilateral siege on Gaza and fracture the unity of the West Bank through illegal settlement expansion, are now universally rejected and condemned by the entire world.
A Tribute to Egypt’s Nobility and Compassion
Ambassador Şen concluded his speech by praising the immense, noble humanitarian role played by the Arab Republic of Egypt, acknowledging that the Egyptian state and society have embraced more than 100,000 Gazans with profound mercy, kindness, and brotherhood. He stressed that providing sustained economic and logistical support to Palestinian brothers temporarily residing in Egypt—in close coordination with relevant Egyptian authorities and institutions—remains an indispensable and urgent necessity.
At the close of the gathering, the Turkish Ambassador renewed his warmest welcome to his Egyptian and Palestinian guests, expressing deep affection, respect, and a shared destiny, concluding his speech with a resounding call that echoed through the venue:
“Long live Palestine! Long live Turkey! Long live Egypt!”
