Turkish aid ship for Gaza arrives at Israeli port
ASHDOD - Anadolu Agency
REUTERS photo
A Turkish aid ship carrying 11,000 tons of supplies for the Gaza Strip arrived at Israel’s Ashdod port on July 3.Turkish diplomats and Israeli Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson Oren Rozenblat were present at the port as the Panama-flagged Lady Leyla docked.
The ship carried around 10,000 toys and 10,000 packages of food and aid for children in Gaza.
It also carried five tons of flour and 2,000 tons of rice aid from the Turkish Grain Board, as well as sugar aid from the Turkish Red Crescent.
The ship set sail on June 30 following a reconciliation deal reached between Turkey and Israel on June 27, after six years of strained relations.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries were suspended after Israeli troops stormed the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship in international waters in 2010, killing 10 Turkish activists.
In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded a formal apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed, and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade.
In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his regret over the attack.
On June 27, months of talks between the two countries finally bore fruit, with Turkey announcing that a deal would be signed, normalizing relations with Israel.
Under the deal, in addition to agreeing to Turkish aid’s access to Gaza, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims.
The ship carried around 10,000 toys and 10,000 packages of food and aid for children in Gaza.
It also carried five tons of flour and 2,000 tons of rice aid from the Turkish Grain Board, as well as sugar aid from the Turkish Red Crescent.
The ship set sail on June 30 following a reconciliation deal reached between Turkey and Israel on June 27, after six years of strained relations.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries were suspended after Israeli troops stormed the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid ship in international waters in 2010, killing 10 Turkish activists.
In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded a formal apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed, and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade.
In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his regret over the attack.
On June 27, months of talks between the two countries finally bore fruit, with Turkey announcing that a deal would be signed, normalizing relations with Israel.
Under the deal, in addition to agreeing to Turkish aid’s access to Gaza, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims.