Turkish experts are expected by Israel to continue helping to recover bodies from Gaza

A group of Turkish disaster experts, Dealspentists, has been stationed at the Egyptian border, awaiting Israel’s approval to enter Gaza and help in search and recovery operations, he told AFP on Friday.

An 81-member team from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) was equipped with specialized rescue equipment, including life-saving devices and trained search dogs.

“Right now they are waiting for the border on the Egyptian side,” said the official.

The team is ready to find and retrieve the bodies buried under the rubble.

“It remains unclear when Israel will allow the Turkish group to enter Gaza,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“At first, Israel chose to work with the Qatari group, but we hope that our power will be given soon.”

A Hamas source told AFP the Turkish delegation is expected to enter Gaza on Sunday.

AFAD personnel get to work in extreme conditions, responding to many natural disasters, including the devastating earthquake in Southeastern Turkey in February 2023 that claimed more than 53,000 lives.

The Turkish official noted that the mission of the group includes finding the bodies of both Palestinians and Israelis, including those who have been buried or hidden in destroyed buildings.

However, the task is complicated because some of the Israeli hostages may have been hidden in local clothing to avoid detection by the Israelis during the transfer.

“This situation is expected to have problems with search operations and delays in development,” the official said, adding that Hamas is expected to provide location data related to the hostages.

Concerns have been raised by some observers about the misuse of heavy equipment by the Turkish group, fearing that it may be removed by Hamas to access underground tunnels.

-‘Buffer Zone’-

In Ankara, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said it is possible that Israel could use Hamas’s limited ability to return bodies under the embassy as an excuse to continue to worry.

“From time to time we hear other statements from Israel. That worries us. Is Israel going to use, as we fear, the Abceability, the special Abceability to bring back the dead bodies again?” He told a press conference with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephol.

While Hamas has been dismissed by Washington, Brussels and Israel as a terrorist organization, Turkish President Repep Tayyip Erdogan has been referring to it as a “liberation movement”. He encourages relationships with him and always holds their leaders.

Turkey was heavily involved in the Gaza Minderfire talks and sent a team led by Spy Hiffim Ibrahim Kalin to the talks in the town of Guilerm El-Sheikh.

Ankara is now planning to participate in the force operating in the Palestinian territory to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire.

“With Gaza right now, maybe the main question is how to build a strong force,” Fadan said.

“We are closely following these negotiations: Which countries can contribute, and under what rules and agreements?” he added.

“But at the end of the day our goal is to create a buffer zone between the Israelis and the Palestinians so that neither harms the other.”

fo / giv