
By Manal Abdel Fattah
The Turkish Ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen, confirmed in the celebration held on the occasion of Eid al-Adha with the participation of hundreds of Palestinian and Egyptian families that the hearts and minds of the entire Islamic world, especially Turkey and Egypt, are with Gaza.
Ambassador Shen said in his speech that, unfortunately, there is no situation in Gaza where families can visit each other, or where children can see their elders, or even slaughter sacrifices to thank God together.
Ambassador Shen said in his speech: We wanted to celebrate Eid al-Adha this year by hosting nearly 1,500 Palestinians in the garden of our embassy headquarters. Because unfortunately we enter this holiday at a time when the war and bloodshed in Gaza has not stopped.
Holidays are occasions for cooperation, sharing, celebration and love. In this month and during the holidays, quarrels are reconciled, children visit their elders, and gifts are given to children.
Unfortunately, there is no place in Gaza where families can visit each other, where children can see their elders, and where sacrifices can be slaughtered in thanks to God together. Homes were destroyed, children were killed or injured, and adults were weakened.
Aside from eating sacrificial meat, people may feel lucky when they have bread, food, and clean water to drink.
The entire Islamic world, especially Türkiye and Egypt, our hearts and minds are with Gaza. As a small expression of our solidarity with our brothers in Gaza, we wanted to share this solidarity and this spirit by hosting tens of thousands of Palestinians who came to Egypt, in addition to Egyptian families, in the garden of our embassy, and we wanted to make the children happy a little.
Civil society in Türkiye has a keen interest in Gaza and is willing to help. Civil society organizations have been cooperating with the Egyptian Red Crescent for a long time and are already sending hundreds of trucks loaded with relief materials to Gaza.
One of these organizations is the Fatah Association. The association, in cooperation with our embassy, slaughtered 9 sacrifices, which it shared with our brothers from Gaza. This, of course, is part of the help from the Turkish people who donate to the Fatah Association and other civil society organizations
We pray to God Almighty that our help will be accepted by God Almighty and fruitful.
Our only desire is for the war and bloodshed in Gaza to stop as soon as possible. May children run happily during the holidays and spend their lives in their homeland in a healthy and safe environment.
All the invitations of the Islamic world are directed to this desire. We hope, with the strength of the Security Council resolution, which was also accepted by the United Nations, that a permanent ceasefire will be reached as soon as possible, that humanitarian aid will be delivered effectively and adequately, and that our Palestinian brothers, women, children, the elderly and the youth will be protected on their land under the roof of the Palestinian state. Independent, free and honorable. We also pray to God that the days will come when they live in luxury, happiness and security.
I believe that Turkey, Egypt, and the entire Islamic world will not hesitate to make any effort, efforts, and sacrifices in this direction. It will continue to support Palestine and the Palestinian people with all its might, in the humanitarian and political fields.