Khaberni - A team of 81 paramedics, which Turkey decided to send to Gaza to participate in the search for bodies, is waiting for the approval of the Israeli occupation to enter the Palestinian sector, according to a senior Turkish official reported by AFP on Friday.
The official stated, "A team comprising 81 members from +AFAD+ (Disaster Management Agency) is currently waiting at the Egyptian side of the border. They are ready to carry out search and rescue operations among the ruins," explaining that their mission involves searching for both Israeli and Palestinian bodies.
A source in Hamas told AFP via "mediators" that "the Turkish mission is expected in Gaza on Sunday."
The Turkish official, asking for anonymity, pointed out that "Israel initially did not want Turkish teams to conduct searches" in Gaza, given the close relationship between Ankara and the Palestinian movement Hamas.
He explained that the Israeli authorities "requested assistance from a Qatari team," saying, "It is not yet known when Israel will allow the Turkish mission to enter the area."
He also noted that the "AFAD team arrived with special equipment for rescue operations and monitoring, including specifically the use of dogs trained in search operations and devices typically used to detect signs of life generally used in post-earthquake relief efforts."
Hamas still needs to disclose specific locations where search operations for the bodies of detained Israelis, which are difficult to pinpoint, must be conducted.
The source clarified that these captives "were possibly dressed (by Hamas) in outfits similar to those worn by local residents to avoid detection by Israeli drones during transfers."
This situation could complicate the search operations and delay progress, according to the source.
The Turkish "AFAD" teams have extensive experience in intervening in complex areas, especially thanks to their operations following several earthquakes that struck Turkey, including the earthquake that hit the southeast of the country in February 2023, killing 53,000 people.
The Turkish Disaster Management Agency affirms that it has conducted relief and humanitarian assistance missions in over fifty countries across five continents in recent years, including Somalia, the Palestinian territories, Ecuador, the Philippines, Nepal, Yemen, Mozambique, and Chad.
