Israeli Civilian Rescue Mission receives security threat and leaves Turkey

Evil will never depart from the house Of him who repays good with evil.

Proverbs

17:

13

(the israel bible)

February 12, 2023

3 min read

On Sunday, the United Hatazalah announced that they were immediately recalling their rescue and relief mission operating in Turkey due to a “significant security threat” on the Israeli rescue and relief mission in Turkey.  Following a joint situational assessment with the heads of the IDF Home Front Command and Search and Rescue Units which took place on Saturday night, United Hatzalah CEO Eli Pollack and Vice President of Operations Dov Maisel instructed the head of United Hatzalah’s rescue mission Major (res.) Yossi Cohen to end the mission and return to Israel as soon as possible.

The team quickly packed up their equipment and gear and made hasty arrangements to fly back to Israel at the earliest opportunity. Due to the lack of available planes, Dr. Miriam Adelson donated her private jet to fly the team back to Israel already on Sunday. 

“We knew that there was a certain level of risk in sending our team to this area of Turkey, which is close to the Syrian border but we took the necessary steps in order to mitigate the threat for the sake of our lifesaving mission,” said Maisel. “Unfortunately, we have just received intelligence of a concrete and immediate threat on the Israeli delegation and we have to put the security of our personnel first.” 

“We are extremely proud of what our team has accomplished in just a few days, assisting in the rescue of 15 individuals in cooperation with the IDF Home Front Command, Israel’s Search and Rescue units, local rescue forces, and the Turkish Red Cross,” he added. 

The IDF also has at least 400 personnel in Turkey that are being supported by emergency medical specialists from the defense and health ministries, fire and rescue services, Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah and Zaka, among others.

The IDF’s “Operation Olive Branches” in Turkey had as of Saturday rescued 19 people from the rubble caused by the massive earthquakes that killed more than 28,000 people in that country and Syria.

On Friday evening, Israeli rescue teams pulled a 9-year-old boy from under a collapsed building after he had been trapped for more than 120 hours.

The IDF identified the boy as Ridvan, whose 14-year-old sister, Romisa, and father Mohammed had been rescued by the Israeli team earlier in the week.

The IDF has sent 230 medical and emergency response experts to set up a field hospital in Kahramanmaraş, in addition to a 150-member Home Front Command team that continues to operate on the ground.

The medical team at the field hospital has treated nearly 200 people so far, including Syrian refugees living in the country. Syrian refugees were reportedly among the wounded treated by the Israeli teams.

IDF Medical Corps commander Lt. Col. Aziz Ibrahim treated a 4-year-old Syrian boy from the city of Homs.

“This is an area with a lot of Syrian refugees. This boy was rescued three or four days ago, his whole family was killed, and he was brought by his uncle. We treated him and calmed him down. He came in a moderate to serious condition,” said Ibrahim.

“I found myself taking out halva from our rations and giving it to him, and he loved it,” Ibrahim said, referring to a popular sesame snack. “Of course, I also spoke to him in Arabic.”

Ibrahim said the boy’s uncle told him, “You Israelis treat us better than our people.”

While efforts continue, experts say the chances of finding additional survivors one week after the first major earthquake struck are growing fainter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the work of the IDF search and rescue delegation.

“You are representing the mission with the most experience on the international level. You have much experience, which has proven itself. You are carrying out a humanitarian mission of the highest order and are bringing much honor to us and the State of Israel and are showing Israel’s true face to the world,” Netanyahu told Col. (res.) Golan Vach of the IDF Home Front Command, the head of the delegation, in a phone call.

“Please convey my greetings to all members of the mission. Do what you can to save lives and be careful,” he added.

JNS has contributed to this report.

Share this article

Defend Israel and fight antisemitism and fake news! The world is under assault by falsehood. Join us to fight for truth.

$10

$25

$50

$100

$250

CUSTOM AMOUNT

Subscribe

Prophecy from the Bible is revealing itself as we speak. Israel365 News is the only media outlet reporting on it.

Sign up to our free daily newsletter today to get all the most important stories directly to your inbox. See how the latest updates in Jerusalem and the world are connected to the prophecies we read in the Bible. .