The Turkish Red Crescent Urged People to “Protect Humanity” on World Humanitarian Day
The Turkish Red Crescent, a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has chosen “Protect Humanity” (#ProtectHumanity) as the theme for World Humanitarian Day, which will be observed on August 19, 2025. The reason for this year’s focus is the increasing number of attacks on humanitarian workers on a global scale and, in particular, the crisis in Gaza.
This article was translated automatically from Turkish. Türkçe orijinal ›
In the first six months of 2025, 168 humanitarian aid workers lost their lives, while last year that number reached record highs.
In Gaza, 508 aid workers have been killed since October 7, 2023; of these, 346 were UN staff and 51 were Palestinian Red Crescent staff. In 2025, 17 Red Cross and Red Crescent workers—including 9 from the Palestinian Red Crescent—were attacked.
The Turkish Red Crescent emphasized that the protection of humanitarian aid workers is an obligation under international humanitarian law and called for an end to the violence.
A 5-POINT ACTION PLAN FROM PRESIDENT YILMAZ
Turkish Red Crescent President Prof. Dr. Fatma Meriç Yılmaz sent an open letter to the embassies of UN Security Council member states in Turkey, describing the crisis in Gaza as “a shared test for humanity.” Yılmaz stated, “The international community’s inaction will undermine the authority of the Geneva Conventions and shake the rules-based order. The tragedy in Gaza is not merely an emergency; it is a test of humanity.”
Yılmaz proposed the following urgent action items:
