COGAT press release on (Turkish) hospital construction in Gaza

ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

COGAT press release on (Turkish) hospital construction in Gaza.HT: IMRA.


Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon has accepted the recommendation of Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechay on the issue of approving the entry of construction materials, electrical equipment, telecommunications and plumbing materials in order to assist and support the construction of the Turkish hospital in Gaza.

According to the Turkish request, the overall amount contains 500 trucks of construction materials along with 70 trucks containing electrical and communications equipment.

Hospital background:

On April 26th 2011, (without any coordination with Israel), the Turkish government started the process of building the hospital on the remains of Netzarim, an ancient settlement which was located in Gaza, via a government company named - 'TIKA'.

The raw materials used to build the hospital, were smuggled through tunnels and were purchased in the local market, because of the Turkish government refusal to coordinate the construction with Israel.

The hospital is built upon an area size of 34 acres, including six complexes (4-6 floors) and contains 160 beds. The project has an estimated cost of 35 million dollars.

During the Ciechanover meetings, the sides agreed upon mutual coordination.Th first petition was to allow the entry of Turkish professional personnel and the approval of medical equipment.

COGAT approved in March 2013 the entrance of 25 Turkish professionals, and extended their visas up to the first quarter of 2014. Additionally, COGAT approved and coordinated the periodic movement of missions on behalf of the Turkish representation in Israel. So far, the entry of 115 trucks which transfer equipment from Israel to Gaza was coordinated.

On the entry of construction materials into Gaza: - Background

Following the exposure of the terror tunnel in October 2013, the transfer of construction materials for the private sector and international organizations was frozen.

On January 26, the Defense Minister approved the re-entering of building materials for UN agencies, after UN and COGAT established a supervision and control mechanism, in order to avoid that construction materials fall into the hands of Hamas for use in constructing fortifications and tunnels.

So far, 24 new projects have been approved within the framework of the supervision and control mechanism.

Guy Inbar, Major Spokesman Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (CoGAT) 03-6977-611, cogatspokesman@gmail.com