Minister Koca welcomed 23 Gazan patients and 21 companions, who were taken from Egypt's Al-Arish Airport by a plane belonging to the Ministry of National Defense and brought to Türkiye for treatment, at Etimesgut Airport.
Koca met with paramedics, chatted with patients with cancer and orthopedic patients, including the 7-month-old wounded baby girl named "Hala Asraf", and accompanied the patients during the process of being taken to the ambulances.
In his statement to the press, Minister Koca pointed out that the fourth evacuation from Gaza was carried out and said, "44 people, including 23 patients and 21 companions, came to Türkiye. To date, we have brought a total of 200 people from Gaza, including 114 patients and 86 companions."
Koca stated, "4 of those brought today are oncology patients. We have a patient group consisting mainly of children and young people, the youngest of which is a 7-month-old baby. The majority of the patients are mostly orthopedic-related patients with extensive fractures and traumas. One of the patients has an eye-related trauma. We will take 23 patients to Etlik City Hospital and plan their treatment immediately.”
"The field hospital will be in Gaza"
Upon the question about the field hospital to be established for Gazan patients, Minister Koca reminded that the medical teams in Egypt carried out a site survey in Gaza and three areas were determined.
Koca explained that the decision on where to establish the field hospital would be made in the next few days.
"Will the field hospital be established in Gaza? Will it affect the conflict?" In response to this question, Koca shared the following information:
"The field hospital will be in Gaza. We are planning it in an area close to the Rafah Border Gate, which we think is safe. The coordination team consisting of Egypt, Israel and Türkiye is in close communication. We care about it being a safe zone and within this framework, we have determined three areas. A site survey was carried out in those three areas yesterday, and we will clarify this in the coming days. We want to treat the patients on-site in Gaza as soon as possible."
"Evacuations will continue in the coming days"
When asked whether there would be new evacuations of Gazan patients and the wounded Gazan people in the coming days, Minister Koca answered, "Our coordination team continues to work. These evacuations will continue in the coming days."
"What is Israel's stance on the field hospitals?" On this question, Koca made the following statement:
"Our request for the field hospitals was that they be located in an area close to Gaza. As you know, Israel is also in the coordination team. Therefore, I hope that we will get a result at this point in the coming days."
Gazan patients were transferred to Etlik City Hospital with ambulances kept ready at Etimesgut Airport.