Türkiye appoints former disaster chief to lead Gaza aid

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings in Gaza City, October 16, 2025.
Reuters

Türkiye has appointed Mehmet Gulluoglu, former head of its disaster management agency AFAD, to lead its humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza, a Foreign Ministry source confirmed.

President Tayyip Erdoğan joined long-term mediators Qatar and Egypt this week in endorsing U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war, after largely staying out of negotiations for the past two years.

The source said former head of Türkiye's AFAD disaster management authority, and a former ambassador Mehmet Gulluoglu had been appointed coordinator for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and travelled to the region on Wednesday.

"Türkiye is mobilising all its resources to rapidly deliver aid to Gaza, establish temporary housing, and support Gaza's reconstruction," the source said.

Gulluoglu will evaluate and prioritise essential aid supplies in Gaza, liaise with UN agencies, guarantee smooth delivery of assistance from Türkiye, coordinate with Egyptian and Jordanian officials on shipments, supervise the evacuation of the injured, and bolster Türkiye’s medical support in the region, the source added.

Ankara has confirmed it will participate in an international task force to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, although details are yet to be finalised.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said its armed forces are prepared to contribute to the task force in either a military or civilian capacity if required.

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