Turkish, Egyptian first ladies inspect Red Crescent's Gaza aid efforts

Türkiye's first lady Emine Erdoğan and her Egyptian counterpart Entissar El Sisi paid a visit to the Egyptian Red Crescent in Cairo on Wednesday to inspect the organization's aid efforts for Gaza.

"I received information about the activities of Red Crescent and its aid efforts for Gaza," Erdoğan said on X, posting pictures from the visit.

"Since Oct. 7, we appreciate the efforts of Egyptian institutions and civil society associations to deliver humanitarian aid to our Palestinian brothers," she added.

The Turkish first lady said so far, in coordination with the Egyptian Red Crescent, over 7,000 tons of aid supplies had been delivered to Gaza from Türkiye via planes and ships.

In Türkiye many civil society organizations collaborate with Egyptian NGOs and the Egyptian Red Crescent through disaster agency AFAD and the Turkish Red Crescent to provide assistance, Erdoğan said.

Türkiye will continue its efforts to ensure uninterrupted aid to war-torn Gaza, she said, adding: "I extend my gratitude to everyone who contributed to aid" for the blockaded enclave.

Erdoğan also visited the Haya Karima Foundation, which "was the first organization to be present with a large team of volunteers at the Rafah border crossing," she said.

She congratulated the volunteers and foundation officials who work in coordination to deliver aid, saying: "I was honored to visit the Hayat Karima Foundation, which supports the development of rural and poor communities under the patronage of Entissar Amer."

The first lady accompanied Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on his historic visit to Cairo on Wednesday.

Last July, Türkiye and Egypt raised their diplomatic ties and appointed ambassadors. Ties between the two countries had been at the level of charges d'affaires since 2013.