Israel sending immediate aid to Turkey following devastating earthquake
- İsrail Türkiye'ye insani yardım ve arama kurtarma ekibinin bulunduğu iki uçak gönderiyor
- İsrail’den gelen yardım ekipleri deprem bölgesinde çalışmaya başladı
- İsrail, Türkiye'ye insani yardım ve arama kurtarma ekibinin bulunduğu iki uçak gönderdi
- IsraAID is deploying an Emergency Response Team after two major earthquakes devastated Southern Türkiye
- İsrail ordusu, yardım sağlamak için 150 mühendis, sağlık personeli ve diğer yardım görevlilerinden oluşan bir arama kurtarma ekibi gönderdi. İki ülke, ilişkilerde yıllardır süren gerilimden sonra ilk kez bu vesile ile insani bir temasta bulunuyor.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News February 6th, 2023.
Israel is preparing aid for Turkey following the massive earthquake that struck the country overnight Sunday, following requests for help from Ankara, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday.
“At the request of the Turkish government, I have instructed all authorities to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search-and-rescue assistance,” he announced. “The foreign and defense ministers have already been in contact with their counterparts and we will – in the coming hours – agree on the dispatching of a delegation as soon as possible.”
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that his special teams, which are attached to the Home Front Command, are being mobilized to help.
“The security forces are ready to offer any assistance that may be required,” he said. “The security system has gained a lot of experience over the years in dealing with disaster areas and the mission of saving lives.”
In conversation with his counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen offered to dispatch a significant number of search and rescue personnel. Çavusoglu expressed his appreciation for Israel’s willingness to stand by Turkey’s side in its hour of need.
United Hatzalah of Israel, Israel's national volunteer EMS organization, is already preparing to send a relief mission.
“During the early hours of the morning, I notified the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister, the Health Minister, and the head of the National Security Council (NSC) that we are standing at the ready to send a relief mission consisting of doctors, paramedics, EMTs, members of the Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, and members of the Search and Rescue Units, with medical supplies and humanitarian aid in order to provide assistance to the thousands of people in need in Turkey,” said United Hatzalah CEO Eli Pollack.
Israel's version of the Red Cross, Magen David Adom, also announced that it had approached the Turkish Red Crescent and the International Federation of the Red Crescent in Europe, offering humanitarian and medical aid.
“In my name and in the name of the people of Israel, I express my deep sorrow for the terrible tragedy that befell Turkey and the region following the earthquake last night,” President Isaac Herzog stated.
“My condolences to the president and the people of Turkey for the enormous destruction and loss of life. The State of Israel through its authorized bodies is always ready to help in any possible way. Our hearts go out to the grieving families and the Turkish nation at this difficult moment,” he added.
On behalf of the Israeli people, I am deeply saddened by the enormous disaster that has befallen Türkiye following last night's earthquake. My condolences to President Erdoğan and the Turkish people for the loss of life and destruction of livelihoods.
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 6, 2023
The earthquake, which struck at 3:17 a.m. in the Kahramanmaras province near the Syrian border, measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and was felt as far away as Romania. There were also several strong aftershocks. The Turkish death count has reached over 20,000, with thousands more injured. An unknown number of people are still buried under the rubble.
In a televised speech, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that 2,400 people have been successfully pulled from the wreckage.
The weather has also been noted as a danger, as a cold front has moved in, bringing rain and snow.
Update: February 16, 2023 - The death count is greater than 36,000.