Türkiye set to provide urgent health services to Gaza after hospital strike

ANKARA

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced urgent plans to provide health services to the Gaza Strip after a massive blast that killed civilians sheltering in a nearby hospital.

Koca revealed that he had engaged in telephone discussions with several international figures, including top officials from the World Health Organization (WHO), emphasizing the fundamental principle that "facilities serving human health should never be subjected to attacks, regardless of the circumstances."

"It is never possible for us to remain unresponsive to this attack. The helplessness of sick and innocent people places a burden on us, especially, of the conscientious duty that a part of the world ignores and avoids undertaking," Koca wrote on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, on Oct. 18.

The minister declared that the nation is prepared to send a ship hospital to the region or establish field hospitals in Gaza and near the Rafah border gate to ensure essential health services are provided.

During a conversation with WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, Koca emphasized the urgency of supporting the region in terms of health services. "We are ready to act together with WHO if it decides to carry out these works," Koca affirmed.

The stance taken by Türkiye has been welcomed by head of World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO), Ahmed Al-Mandhari, the minister added. In consultation with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the parties have decided to immediately initiate the cooperation process between Türkiye and the WHO.

"Despite all kinds of diplomatic difficulties, Türkiye will always continue to be there for babies, children, the elderly, and innocent people," Koca wrote, describing the current situation as "historical days when people make the choice of whether to stand by humanity or not."

"We have no voice to listen to other than our inner voices. We are those who regard the Palestinian people, including the children, the elderly, the sick and the women as brothers," Koca said.