Egypt-Turkey cooperation during Gaza crisis great example: Turkish health minister

CAIRO – 15 November 2023: Turkish Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca has praised the Egyptian-Turkish relations during the ongoing crisis in Gaza as a great example to be followed in terms of cooperation between countries.

Koca made the remarks in a joint press conference on Wednesday with his Egyptian counterpart, Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, in Cairo.

During his Cairo visit, Koca visited Palestinian patients who were evacuated from Gaza and are treated in the Nasser Institute for Research and Treatment as well as the wounded and cancer-stricken children from the strip.

Koca said Turkey’s aid bound for Gaza through Egypt has totaled 666 tons.

He added that his country sent 10 planes and a ship comprising eight field hospitals and an operation room to Gaza as well as 20 ambulances, incubators, generators and other medical and relief supplies.

For his part, Abdel Ghaffar affirmed constant communication with the Turkish health ministry regarding saving the Palestinian people and providing medical support to them.

Abdel Ghaffar stressed the deep relations binding Egypt and Turkey and their peoples in different fields.

He added that Egypt is fully prepared to receive any number of injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip based on directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

 

Egyptian-Turkish cooperation in this regard aims to achieve integration as well as human and material capabilities, Abdel Ghaffar said, adding that Turkey was among the first countries to communicate with Egypt to send medical supplies to the strip.

Moreover, Abdel Ghaffar affirmed that Turkish doctors are providing medical services to the injured in Al-Arish hospitals.

The Egyptian minister said Egypt is the only country that sought to save children with cancer in Gaza and receive them in the Egyptian hospitals.

He added that 35 vehicles equipped with incubators are stationed at the Rafah border crossing to save newborns evacuated from Gaza.

According to international organizations’ reports, more than 11,000 people have been killed and a child dies every 10 minutes in Gaza, Abdel Ghaffar said.

He added that 28,000 people have been injured and 2,000 cancer patients and 350,000 chronic disease patients are in the strip.