Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım's two sons and daughter have joined an aid campaign for Gaza. Bülent, Erkam and Büşra Yıldırım funded the delivery of 4,000 packages of food aid by the Turkish Red Crescent.

Food packages are included in the cargo of a vessel that will leave for Israel's Ashdod port on Friday. The vessel, that will depart from Mersin in southern Turkey, will carry humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which is currently blockaded.

A total of 11,000 tons of humanitarian aid, including basic staples such as rice and flour as well as toys for children will be sent to Gaza, as Israel green-lit the delivery of supplies under a recent deal. Apart from delivery of humanitarian aid, Turkey will carry out projects to rebuild Gaza and improve the lives of thousands who suffered from Israel's attacks on Hamas. Those include the construction of residential buildings and a 200-bed Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital.

Strained relations between Turkey and Israel that declined over the past decade were restored earlier this week. Israel agreed to Turkey's humanitarian presence in Gaza. President Erdoğan announced hours after the deal was signed that the first aid ship would be sent to Gaza "before Eid," referring to the Muslim religious holiday that is expected to fall on July 5.