Planes carrying Turkish humanitarian aid for Gaza land in Egypt

Planes carrying Turkish humanitarian aid for residents of the Gaza Strip landed on Friday in Egypt, which neighbors the enclave under intense Israeli blockade and bombardment.

The Turkish Defense Ministry in a statement said two A400 type planes reached the El Arish Airport.

"As announced by our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, two A400M aircraft belonging to our Air Force delivered the humanitarian aid materials prepared for Gaza to Egypt," it said.

The Israeli army has ordered all residents of northern Gaza to evacuate and head to the south within 24 hours.

Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against the Gaza Strip, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began last Saturday when Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers' growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to Gaza, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has reeled under a crippling siege since 2007.