GAZA, (The Palestine Foundation Pakistan)Qatar has launched a land corridor to deliver large-scale humanitarian aid to Gaza, while Türkiye appointed Ambassador Mehmet Güllüoğlu as general coordinator for humanitarian assistance to Palestine. The twin moves come amid intensified regional relief efforts following the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Qatar’s state television announced on Thursday that the country had inaugurated a land route for humanitarian convoys into the besieged enclave, beginning with 86,000 tents designed to shelter over 450,000 displaced Palestinians, nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population.
Gaza City Mayor Yahya al-Sarraj confirmed that municipalities across the Strip, in coordination with the Qatari Committee for Gaza Reconstruction, have begun reopening main roads, clearing rubble, and facilitating the return of residents to their neighborhoods.
The campaign aims to restore life to devastated areas after two years of Israeli genocide and to reestablish minimal public services destroyed by the war machine amid dire humanitarian conditions. Bulldozers, trucks, and cranes provided through Qatari aid have started clearing key thoroughfares, particularly as thousands of displaced Palestinians continue returning from southern Gaza to the north following the halt of Israeli attacks.
“This month-long operation, led by Qatari assistance, will open major roads and improve daily life for Palestinians trying to return home, reviving what remains of Gaza City,” al-Sarraj said.
Meanwhile, Türkiye appointed Ambassador Mehmet Güllüoğlu as its general humanitarian coordinator for Palestine, tasked with overseeing on-the-ground relief efforts and ensuring coordination among agencies and institutions operating in Gaza.
According to sources in Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, quoted by Anadolu Agency, Ankara has mobilized all available resources to expedite the delivery of aid, establish temporary shelters, and contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction process.
Güllüoğlu and his team arrived in Gaza on Wednesday to assess urgent needs, identify relief priorities, and coordinate with UN agencies active in the territory.
He will also oversee Turkish institutions working in the field to ensure aid reaches those most in need, while holding consultations with local authorities on shipments entering via Egypt and Jordan. His responsibilities include strengthening Turkish medical support and organizing patient evacuations.
At the same time, the 17th Turkish “Ships of Goodness” vessel, carrying 900 tons of food supplies for Gaza’s population, was approaching Egypt’s Port of Al-Arish on Thursday.
Humanitarian operations to Gaza have accelerated sharply since the ceasefire agreement took effect on October 10, as part of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, which includes a phased cessation of hostilities, a prisoner exchange, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
The deal, announced on October 9, was reached after indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel in Sharm el-Sheikh, with participation from Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, and under US supervision.
Since October 8, 2023, Israel, backed by the United States, has waged a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip that has killed 67,938 Palestinians and injured 170,169 others, most of them women and children. The conflict also triggered a man-made famine that claimed 463 additional lives, including 157 children.
