UPDATE - Israel greenlights urgent aid to quake-hit Türkiye

UPDATES WITH DETAILS

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli government on Monday greenlighted urgent aid to Türkiye after a major earthquake jolted the country's south, claiming hundreds of lives.

"At the request of the Turkish government, I instructed all authorities to prepare immediately to provide medical, and rescue assistance," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu said, "are already in contact with their counterparts and in the next few hours we will summarize the departure of the delegation as soon as possible."

The Israeli premier offered his condolences to the Turkish citizens "in their difficult time following the earthquake that struck our region."

Earlier Monday, Cohen greenlighted urgent aid to quake-hit Türkiye.

"On behalf of the State of Israel, I would like to express deep sorrow to the Turkish people for the severe earthquake that struck southern Türkiye tonight. Our hearts go out to the victims, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery," he said in a statement.

At least 912 people were killed and 5,385 others injured in 10 provinces after a strong earthquake jolted southern Türkiye on Monday morning, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakır, Adana, Adıyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis provinces were heavily affected by the quake.

Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the 7.7 magnitude quake struck at 4.17 a.m. (0117GMT) and was centered in the Pazarcik district in Türkiye’s southern province of Kahramanmaras.

At least 476 people were also killed and hundreds injured in Syria after the quake, according to health authorities there.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi in Ankara contributed to this report