27 patients from Gaza transferred to Türkiye for treatment

Two Turkish planes carrying  27 patients and their companions who were taken out of Gaza landed to Ankara on late November 15, after departing from Egypt’s El Arish Airport.

Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said that following “intense diplomatic negotiations that has taken place in Egypt for health aids for Gaza,” 27 patients and 13 companions were transferred to Ankara, Türkiye.

“Türkiye is the first country to allow Egypt to transfer patients,” Koca said, adding that the patients were transferred through the Refah Border Gate between Egypt and Gaza. The patients were taken out of Gaza through Refah Border and brought to the El Arish Airport by ambulances.

The patients brought to Ankara Bilkent City Hospital for treatment.

Egypt, Israel, Jordan involved

Koca said following many meetings with the senior executives of the World Health Organization and the health ministers of Egypt, Israel and Jordan, Ankara immediately sent a team of 20 people from the Ministry of Health to the region to conduct feasibility studies in Egypt and Gaza on October 22.

The Health Minister said that Türkiye also sent 10 cargo planes, one ship, 8 fully equipped field hospitals, 20 ambulances, vital ventilators, incubators and generators, as well as 666 tons of aid including medicines, medical supplies and devices to Egypt to be used for the needs of Gazans.

“We formed a health coordination team consisting of technical delegations to bring patients, especially cancer patients, who were completely deprived of the opportunity to receive treatment because the Gaza Turkish Friendship Hospital was rendered unusable as a result of the Israeli attacks. On November 14, I held a video conference call with the Egyptian Minister of Health. As a result of the intensive work of the health coordination team we had previously formed in this process, we agreed that cancer patients in Gaza should pass through the Rafah Border Gate to Egypt,” he said.

“Earlier in the day, I left Türkiye and first had a bilateral meeting with my esteemed colleague Mr. Ghaffar in the capital Cairo. We visited two different hospitals, one of which is a children’s hospital, where Gaza patients are being treated. In the afternoon, we visited the hospital in the city of El Arish, close to the Rafah Border Crossing, and wished our brothers and sisters in Gaza a speedy recovery. As a result of our international health diplomacy and our work in the field, we believe that we have taken an important step by bringing 27 patients and 13 companions to Türkiye with the planes belonging to our Presidency and Ministry of National Defense,” he added.

Ankara’s efforts will continue: Minister

Stating that their efforts to heal the wounds of Gazans will continue to increase both diplomatically and, in the field, Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca said:

“The treatment of our brothers and sisters who are in our country as our guests will continue at our City Hospital in Ankara. Along with all these developments, we have also made significant progress in establishing field hospitals in the region close to the Rafah Border Gate in Gaza, at points deemed appropriate by our relevant internal and external stakeholders, as well as on the Egyptian side, and providing joint services with our Egyptian friends in these hospitals. As expressed by our President, Türkiye will always stand by the oppressed, be the voice of justice, right and law, and will not leave its friends and brothers alone in good and bad times.”

In response to a question about the latest situation regarding the field hospitals planned to be established in Gaza and Egypt, Minister Koca said, “We sent a total of 8 field hospitals with the ship, including hospitals that can serve in severe climatic conditions. We especially want to establish these field hospitals in suitable places in Gaza in the early period. The trilateral coordination team I mentioned earlier is working on this issue, including location determination, and I hope that we can be successful in establishing a field hospital in the region close to the Rafah Border Gate in Gaza in the early period.”

Stating that they are in close cooperation with the Israeli Minister of Health and the Egyptian Minister of Health, Minister Koca said that the trilateral coordination team consists of Egypt, Türkiye and Israel.