Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Historic Turkish parliamentary delegation visits Rafah border crossing in solidarity with Gaza
A large Turkish parliamentary delegation, comprising 30 members from various political parties, paid a significant visit to Egypt and the Rafah border crossing last week, expressing solidarity with the innocent civilians and victims of ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The delegation—led by Hasan Basri Yalçın, Deputy Chair for Human Rights of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party—was accompanied by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz and Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen. This visit marks the largest Turkish parliamentary delegation to Egypt in history, exemplifying growing cooperation between Ankara and Cairo.
During their stay in Cairo, the Turkish MPs held high-level meetings with both the Egyptian House of Representatives and the Senate. They met with Mr. Karim Darwish, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, and Dr. Hazem Omar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The discussions covered Turkish-Egyptian cooperation and their shared positions on the urgent situation in Gaza and regional issues, with both sides reaffirming the importance of a united response.
Following their engagements in the Egyptian capital, the delegation traveled to the northern Sinai city of Arish, where they received a warm welcome from Major General Khaled Megahed, Governor of North Sinai. At Arish airport, both sides discussed the dire circumstances in Gaza, ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire, humanitarian aid initiatives, and the close partnership between Turkey and Egypt in alleviating the crisis.
The delegation then proceeded to the Rafah border crossing, where they spoke to Turkish and international media. They reiterated Turkey’s firm call for an immediate ceasefire, the urgent need for Israel to fully reopen the border for uninterrupted humanitarian access, and an end to ongoing famine and violence in Gaza. The delegation also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Egyptian authorities for their collaboration and support in facilitating this historic visit.
Through social media remarks, Turkey’s Ambassador in Cairo, Salih Mutlu Şen, extended special thanks to Governor Khaled Megahed for his hospitality and commended Egypt’s efforts in delivering vital humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
This landmark visit comes as a symbol of deeper Turkish-Egyptian relations and the international commitment to supporting Gaza during these challenging times.