Turkey donates $10M to UN agency for Palestine Refugees

By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey transferred $10 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in addition to its yearly voluntary contribution to the Agency, Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

In a statement, Turkish Foreign Ministry said the contribution "will support the uninterrupted continuation of the Agency's services, such as health and education provided to 5.3 million Palestinian refugees."

"In our efforts to alleviate the current financial problems of the Agency, we also continue our contributions in other areas. These include the increase of our flour aid to UNRWA to 26,000 tons and a national donation campaign for Palestinians that was launched by the Prime Ministry on 18 May," the statement said.

The ministry also announced that Turkey will grant $1.2 million to the World Health Organization for its use in situations requiring urgent medical assistance, following the recent incidents at the Gaza Strip.

"Turkey will continue its contributions in order to support a dignified and humane life for our Palestinian brothers and sisters, in the period ahead. We will also stand for the Palestinian Cause in all platforms," the ministry said.

Since March 30, more than 115 Palestinian demonstrators in the eastern Gaza Strip have been martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli army gunfire.

Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.