Israel Considers Helping Syria Hit by Earthquake Along with Turkey
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by i24 News
A general view shows the town of Majdal Shams near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights March 25, 2019. Photo: REUTERS/Ammar Awad
i24 News – As the death toll of the powerful earthquake rises to hundreds with thousands more feared to be trapped under the rubble, Israel considers helping not only Turkey but also bordering Syria.
The border regions between Turkey and Syria are held by different opposition groups, as the country has entered its 12th year of civil war. Syrian state media reported at least 239 dead and 648 injured, while the death toll in rebel-controlled areas rose to 147 dead with 340 more injured.
With the ongoing armed conflict and the fear of a looming Turkish offensive against the Kurdish groups, there is no political stability in this very troubled region. Access to healthcare is also very limited as many Syrians already live in precarious conditions. It will be also very challenging to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure in the area with no central government and the economy on the verge of collapse.
All this makes the outcome of the earthquake even more disastrous. The number of victims is very likely to rise exponentially as people are still trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. There is also real danger of more houses collapsing and debris falling down. Many residents have been caught by the disaster in their sleep.
Media are urging residents to help the injured to get to the hospital. The White Helmets rescue organization, a volunteer group, which operates in parts of the opposition-held Syria, is working on the ground. Reports coming from them suggest that the situation is tragic, especially on the border with Turkey. There are close to 7 million internally displaced people in Syria alone. As many of them tried to get to Turkey they gathered in that area.
Residents are urged to gather in open areas. It is, however, quite difficult as not many people have cars and they cannot make the trip to safer areas on their own. The White Helmets are calling on the international community to send help to the region.
Some members of the Israeli parliament suggested sending aid to Syria even though the two countries do not have diplomatic relations. While it is unlikely that the Syrian government would ask Israel to send a delegation, it is possible to provide assistance without putting your men on the ground.
There is a UN mission operating in the region and other international organizations that can collect the aid. Israel also has experience of setting up a hospital on the border with Syria, which Syrians have frequently visited.
