Synopsis
Fifteen Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas and have arrived in Turkey after deportation to Egypt. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed this development, emphasizing Turkey's support for Palestinians and the need for humanitarian efforts in Gaza.Key Takeaways
- 15 Palestinian prisoners were freed under a ceasefire agreement.
- They were deported to Turkey after being released.
- Turkey opposes the forced displacement of Palestinians.
- A new working committee has been formed to manage Gaza affairs.
- Reconstruction efforts will be coordinated with neighboring Egypt.
Ankara, Feb 4 (NationPress) Fifteen Palestinian prisoners released by Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas landed in Turkey on Tuesday after being deported to Egypt, stated Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Fidan noted, “As part of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, there was a consensus that a specific number of Palestinians would not remain in their territories. These individuals were to be accommodated in specific countries. Following a request and with our president's consent, we agreed positively.”
He elaborated that the fifteen Palestinians received visas from the Turkish embassy in Cairo after their release from incarceration and then traveled to Turkey.
Fidan also underscored Turkey's firm stance against any initiatives aimed at forcibly relocating Palestinians from their homeland, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
“Any effort to expel Palestinians from their native lands contradicts international law and humanity’s moral compass. Such endeavors will only exacerbate conflicts and disrupt regional stability. We must oppose all attempts to displace Palestinians from their homeland,” he stated.
A Palestinian official revealed on Monday that 60 Palestinian prisoners, freed by Israel under the ceasefire agreement and currently in Egypt, are set to be relocated to Turkey, Qatar, Malaysia, and Pakistan.
Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, mentioned that each of the four nations will host 15 Palestinian prisoners.
In the meantime, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa announced on Tuesday the formation of a working committee to oversee affairs in the Gaza Strip, following directives from President Mahmoud Abbas, according to the state news agency WAFA.
This initiative aims to reinforce the “unity of the Palestinian state's territories” and strengthen national solidarity, Mustafa stated during a weekly cabinet meeting in Ramallah. The committee will manage humanitarian aid distributions, debris removal, road openings, and the establishment of temporary shelters for displaced individuals in anticipation of larger reconstruction efforts.
Mustafa highlighted the government’s commitment to reinstating essential services, including water, electricity, healthcare, and education, through an emergency operations center in Gaza's southern regions. “Our national duty obliges us to assist our people who have faced 15 months of the war's devastation,” he said.
This announcement follows reports from Gaza's Hamas-run governmental media office estimating the direct damages from the Israeli military operations to exceed 50 billion US dollars across various infrastructures and economic sectors, according to Xinhua news agency.
Mustafa indicated that reconstruction efforts would be coordinated with Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and has facilitated negotiations between Hamas and Israel along with Qatar and the United States.
