Headlines
Turkey puts ex-disaster chief in charge of Gaza aid, in sign of big new role
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 16, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on October 16, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Turkey appoints Mehmet Gulluoglu to lead Gaza aid efforts, signaling an increased role in humanitarian aid and ceasefire monitoring.
ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey has put a former head of its disaster management agency in charge of its aid to Gaza, a Foreign Ministry source said, a sign it intends to ramp up its role as a guarantor of the new ceasefire after sitting out earlier rounds of diplomacy.
President Tayyip Erdogan, a critic of Israel's assault on Gaza, joined long-term mediators Qatar and Egypt this week in signing off on U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war, after largely steering clear of negotiations for two years.
The source said former head of Turkey's AFAD disaster management authority Mehmet Gulluoglu, also a former ambassador, had been appointed as coordinator for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and travelled to the region on Wednesday.
"Turkey is mobilising all its resources to rapidly deliver aid to Gaza, establish temporary housing areas, and for Gaza's reconstruction," the source said.
Gulluoglu will conduct inspections to identify the necessary aid materials in Gaza and prioritise them, coordinate with U.N. agencies, ensure the unhindered delivery of aid from Turkey, consult with Egyptian and Jordanian officials on deliveries, work on evacuating the wounded and ramping up Turkey's medical support to Gaza, the source said.
Ankara has said it would take part in an international task force to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire accord, though details have yet to be finalised. The Turkish Defence Ministry has said its armed forces stand ready to take part in the task force in a military or civilian capacity as needed.
(Reporting by Tuvan GumrukcuEditing by Peter Graff)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to crises such as natural disasters or conflicts, aimed at saving lives and alleviating suffering.
Disaster management encompasses the planning, organization, and coordination of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all aspects of emergencies, including preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
International cooperation involves countries working together to address global challenges, share resources, and implement solutions for issues that transcend national borders, such as humanitarian crises.
Financial support refers to the provision of funds or resources to assist individuals, organizations, or countries in achieving specific goals or responding to emergencies.
Gaza reconstruction involves rebuilding infrastructure and homes in the Gaza Strip after conflicts or disasters, focusing on restoring normalcy and improving living conditions for affected populations.
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