Israeli and Turkish organizations join to bring 60 tons of supplies to earthquake victims

Over 20 Israeli and Turkish organizations, charities and corporations have joined forces to deliver over 60 tons of humanitarian relief to victims of Monday’s devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria – which has so far claimed over 20,000 lives.

The Israel-Turkey Chamber of Commerce, humanitarian relief agency SmartAID and Turkish Airlines were among the groups who have committed to aiding the effort, which will see volunteers deliver food, medicine, clothing, equipment and more to hundreds of thousands of victims on Friday.

“We are proud of Israeli civil society and the multitude of bodies that immediately mobilized to cooperate and the foundations and companies in the business sector (who) mobilized to donate essential products needed for the humanitarian emergency aid operation,” said the Israeli nonprofit aid organization Latet’s president and founder Gilles Darmon alongside CEO Eran Weintraub in a statement.

“As Israelis, we cannot remain indifferent to human suffering caused by a natural disaster of enormous proportions,” the Latet statement declared.

Turkey and Syria's catastrophic earthquake

Monday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake was the largest amid a series of violent earthquakes that struck parts of Turkey and Syria. The confirmed death toll has surpassed 17,000 in Turkey and 3,000 in Syria, with scores of people still yet to be found.

The Turkish Embassy in Israel and the Turkish National Emergency Relief Organization (AFAD) are also among the leading groups coordinating the humanitarian effort. Procter and Gamble, the Strauss Group, Osem Nestlé and Unilever Israel have also pledged to donate humanitarian aid.

The first shipment of 60 tons of food and emergency aid equipment, which will be loaded onto dozens of pallets and loaded onto Turkish Airlines planes, will include, among other things: ready-made food, vitamin supplements, warm clothing for the winter, hygiene and toiletry products.