Gift of life: Gazans donate blood to aid Turkish, Syrian quake victims
Palestinians donate blood to help those who were injured in an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Gaza City, Feb. 12, 2023. (AFP Photo)


Palestinians in the Gaza Strip generously donated blood on Sunday, to support the earthquake victims in Türkiye and Syria.

"This campaign is a show of solidarity with the Turkish and Syrian peoples," said Iyad al-Masri, executive director of Al-Amal Institute for Orphans, which organized the blood drive.

"What happens in Türkiye and Syria affects the entire Arab and Islamic nation," he added.

Palestinians donate blood to help those who were injured in an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Gaza City, Feb. 12, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Under the theme "One Body," al-Masri said the one-day drive "sends a message of love and peace for all."

Over 29,000 people were killed and more than 80,000 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye last Monday, according to the latest official figures.

Palestinians donate blood to help those who were injured in an earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Gaza City, Feb. 12, 2023. (AFP Photo)

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, were felt by 13 million people across 10 provinces in Türkiye, and also affected several countries in the region.

In Syria, at least 3,574 people were killed and over 5,290 others injured in the killer earthquakes, according to figures from Sunday.