Politics should be put aside when there is a humanitarian disaster: Israeli rescue team member

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ADANA, Türkiye (AA) - "When a humanitarian disaster happens, we put politics aside because we want to save people’s lives," said a member of an Israeli volunteer rescue team in Türkiye.

Speaking to Anadolu at Adana Airport in country's south, Rachel, a volunteer from the Israeli One Heart organization, told Anadolu: "The relationship between Türkiye and Israel is very sensitive. We know that. But when a disaster happens, we forget everything."

"We came here to help people," she said, "because we want to save lives."

Rachel, the media director of the rescue delegation, said their team includes eight people - one local and seven from Israel.

"Whenever I go and help another nation, it does not matter if they are Jewish or Turkish to me," she said. "We want save lives as One Heart people, so that's why we are here."

She said they are a delegation that focuses on reaching civilians in places like disaster zones and checking what they can do to help them.

Noting that One Heart is also sending delegations to Ukraine for similar purposes, she said: "When we hear about a disaster, an earthquake, we immediately arrange a delegation with necessary equipment."

“Our mission is to check their needs, the places they are staying, and also note down the needs of children and mothers so we can send another delegation with the equipment in need and maybe arrange a place to stay for them,” she added.

The Israeli team will stay in Adana and join Israeli personnel that are already in the earthquake zone for search and rescue operations, according to Rachel.

Israel joined the earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye with 450 personnel.

Also, a field hospital was established by Israeli forces in Kahramanmaras province, the epicenter of the disaster, which will work to provide all medical assistance to the victims of the earthquakes.

At least 31,643 people were killed by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Feb. 6, the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) said on Monday.

Last Monday’s magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

More than 238,400 search and rescue personnel are currently working in the disaster zone, according to AFAD.