The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) has accepted the proposal to make Istanbul and Gaza sister cities.

The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Council held its second session of the month under the chairmanship of the Vice President of the Council, Gökhan Gümüşdağ, at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Presidential building in Saraçhane.

The proposal to declare Istanbul and Gaza sister cities, submitted as a joint proposal by the CHP, AK Party, MHP and BBP groups at the meeting, was unanimously accepted after the announcement that the Legal and EU and Foreign Relations Commissions had given positive reports.

The commissions responded to the proposal by saying, "Considering our past ties, despite all that has happened, we believe that establishing a sister city relationship between the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Gaza will be beneficial in terms of developing relations in education, culture, economy, trade, and humanitarian aid, and strengthening bonds of friendship."

Source: ANKA