Türkiye safely evacuates over a thousand people from Gaza since October 7
Amid Israel's continuous bombardment of the Palestinian people, Türkiye coordinates the evacuation of its citizens and facilitates the transfer of critically ill patients from Gaza.
The evacuees firstly arrive in Cairo, then head to Istanbul, Türkiye. /Photo: AA Archive
Since the start of the Israeli war in Gaza on October 7, Türkiye has evacuated a total of 1,047 people to safety, an official announced.
The evacuees, including Turkish citizens, their family members, and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) citizens, were greeted by Turkish diplomats on the Egyptian side of the border crossing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said Wednesday on X.
They first arrive in the capital Cairo by car before heading to Istanbul by plane, Keceli said, adding that "The list of our citizens who are currently waiting for evacuation is constantly updated, and coordination is carried out with the relevant authorities."
"We aim to conclude the evacuation of all our citizens from Gaza safely and as soon as possible," he added.
Israel has bombarded the besieged Palestinian enclave from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive following a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on October 7.
At least 18,412 Palestinians have been killed and 50,100 others injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stands at 1,200, while around 139 hostages remain in captivity, according to official figures.
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