Ashraf AboArafe
In a moving gesture of solidarity, the Turkish Embassy in Cairo hosted a heartfelt event on August 1st, bringing together hundreds of Palestinian and Egyptian families under one roof at the ambassador’s official residence.
The gathering radiated warmth and unity as 300 Palestinian families who had fled Gaza to Egypt, along with 100 underprivileged Egyptian families, took part in the event, joined by over 100 Egyptian journalists. This initiative came as part of Turkey’s ongoing humanitarian support for Palestinians in Gaza and Egypt, carried out in full coordination with Egyptian authorities.
The event was co-organized by the Turkish Embassy in Cairo in collaboration with Turkey’s Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) and Egypt’s Al-Wafaa Development Association, with the full support and approval of the Palestinian Embassy. The evening featured traditional Palestinian Dabke performed by Palestinian youth, songs sung by children from Gaza, and the provision of meals and financial assistance to all participating families.
In his address during the event, Turkish Ambassador to Egypt, Salih Mutlu Şen, emphasized that Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, remains steadfast in its humanitarian commitment to the oppressed people of Gaza, guided by the deep national conscience of the Turkish people.
He noted that with the recent resumption of aid convoys from Egypt to Gaza, 180 Turkish aid trucks had successfully crossed through Al-Arish. He added that if ceasefire negotiations continue positively, maritime aid shipments from Turkey to Al-Arish could also be resumed, in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent and the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD).
Ambassador Şen highlighted that Egypt has welcomed nearly 100,000 people from Gaza, offering them shelter and essential support, while acknowledging the inevitable financial challenges these displaced families face. He affirmed that Turkey is doing everything in its power to ease the burden borne by Egypt in this regard.
He also referenced a prior initiative through which Turkey, in cooperation with the Aziz Mahmud Hüdayi Foundation and the Palestinian authorities, paid off university tuition fees for 10,000 Palestinian students enrolled in Egyptian universities.
During Eid al-Adha, Turkish donors and humanitarian organizations also provided sacrificial meat in Egypt, further reinforcing the spirit of brotherhood and charity.
Ambassador Şen extended heartfelt thanks to IHH, Al-Wafaa Association, and the Palestinian Embassy for their cooperation in organizing the event. He affirmed that the Turkish Embassy will continue to support Gaza residents and vulnerable families in Egypt, in alignment with the possibilities available and in close collaboration with the Egyptian authorities.
He reiterated Turkey’s full alignment with Egypt’s stance on Gaza, firmly rejecting any so-called “voluntary or forced relocation” of Gazans to Egypt or elsewhere.
He warned that rendering Gaza uninhabitable is part of an Israeli strategy to pressure its population into displacement and to undermine Egypt’s proposed plan for Gaza within a reasonable timeframe. He stressed that neither Turkey, Egypt, nor any other Islamic nation would ever accept or allow such a scenario.
“If even a quarter or half of Gaza’s population is removed,” the ambassador stated, “the complete displacement of Palestinians from their homeland would become a closer reality. We must avoid every path that leads in that direction.”
He reaffirmed Turkey’s constructive role in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations led by Egypt, the U.S., and Qatar, and welcomed recent decisions by France and the United Kingdom to recognize the State of Palestine, calling them historic and positive steps.
The ambassador closed with a heartfelt message to Gazans in Egypt:
“Do not forget Gaza. Your return is a right that shall never be erased. Your homeland awaits you. Turkey, Egypt, and the entire Islamic world stand with you—now and always.”
He concluded by affirming that all the embassy’s efforts are in full harmony with President Erdoğan’s vision and the Turkish people’s enduring solidarity—and that this stance will remain unchanged.
