For Col. Avi Banov, the director of the IDF hospital in the disaster area in Turkey, it is about closing a circle: in 1999, his father came with the Home Front Command to help after the earthquake in Izmit.
Today Col. Banov is responsible for the establishment of the hospital which should be opened soon and treat 200 sick and wounded every day.
Benov landed with his team yesterday afternoon at Marsh airport.
After the equipment arrived at the assembly point, the camp commander went to look for where to place the hospital.
"Some of the places were on the verge of collapse, so we gave them up. We found an abandoned hospital and thousands of displaced people around it. In cooperation with the local Ministry of Health and some of their teams, we will operate the hospital," said Col. Nove.
Commander of the hospital Lt. Col. Avi Banov.
"Right to fight between the states in times of crisis", photo: Oren Cohen
The hospital established in Marsh.
He will treat 200 sick and wounded every day, photo: Oren Cohen
140 staff members began moving the equipment to the hospital, where two operating rooms, eight intensive care beds and one hundred hospitalization beds will be set up to treat 200 patients daily.
The Israeli hospital will treat the wounded, but will also provide gynecology, pediatrics, family and even dental services.
"We have interpreters who help us and even flight attendants from airlines who want to come and help," said Col. Nove. "So far we have only received love from those in the area.
We came to help and were welcomed with open arms."
"It is a great privilege to participate and represent the State of Israel, the IDF and the Medical Corps in such a valuable mission and bring the countries together in a time of crisis," added Col. Banov.
"We see the pain of the people and all the sadness in the streets. We will do everything to help those people who lost everything in one moment."
In disaster-stricken places, thousands are homeless.
Despite the freezing cold, most of them refuse to leave the area until they know what happened to their loved ones.
"I'm not going to leave the area until they find my parents alive or dead," his slave told us, warming himself next to a small fire near his parents' collapsed house in the city of Adana.
"I'm sleeping in a tent in the park and waiting to receive good news."
The abandoned hospital emergency room.
Will be used by the IDF, photo: Oren Cohen
The hospital established in Marsh, photo: Oren Cohen
The hospital established in Marsh, photo: Oren Cohen
The IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
The IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
The IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
The IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
The IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
A temporary synagogue established at the IDF headquarters in the Marsh district, photo: Oren Cohen
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