In a discussion held by Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen and MFA Director-General Ronen Levi. with the participation of senior MFA officials and representatives of the National Security Council (NSC), the IDF and the Ministries of Defense and Health, it was decided to advance the dispatch of two aid delegations to the disaster area in Turkey within the next few hours.

 

An initial rescue mission is expected to depart this evening (Monday, 6 February 2023). A larger delegation, which will include extensive humanitarian aid in cooperation with other aid agencies, is planned to depart tomorrow morning.

 

During the discussion, Israel’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Irit Lillian, and other security officials provided a comprehensive overview of the current situation in the area.

 

Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen: "We all participate in the sorrow of the Turkish people following tonight’s tragedy. I spoke earlier with my counterpart, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, and expressed my deep sorrow. Today we are sending two professional delegations on behalf of the State of Israel, including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to do everything we can to aid the victims. Israel today stands alongside Türkiye in its difficult hour."

 

MFA Dir-Gen Ronen Levi: “This is a dramatic event, unfortunately we are used to such events. We must be prepared to take care of anyone who needs help. We must act as quickly as possible in order to save lives; the knowledge accumulated by MFA missions in the field is extremely important for the success of handling this incident."