The death toll rises to 21,700, Damascus authorizes international aid, relief is organized even if the chances of finding survivors are dwindling... Five days after the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria,
Le Figaro
takes stock of the situation.
Damascus authorizes international aid in rebel zone
The Syrian government announced on Friday that it would accept the delivery of international aid to rebel-held areas in the northwest of the country.
In a statement released by the official Syrian agency Sana, the government specified that the distribution of humanitarian aid should be "
supervised by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent
", with the help of the UN.
Read also "Syria: from civil war to regional war?"
UN calls for 'ceasefire'
Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights "
calls for an immediate ceasefire in Syria and full respect for human rights and humanitarian law obligations so that aid can reach everyone
", in a tweet from the High Commission.
"
At this terrible time in #Turkey & #Syria, we call for the urgent delivery of assistance to ALL those in need
."
Read alsoEarthquake in Syria: “Those who have not been loyal to the regime will be the last to be rescued”
The civil war that has been tearing Syria apart since 2011 has complicated access for humanitarian aid, particularly to areas under rebel control in the north-west of the country.
For the time being, most of the aid intended for this area comes from Turkey and must pass through Bab al-Hawa, the only authorized crossing point between Syria and its Turkish neighbor.
The damage caused by the earthquakes to the road infrastructure on the Turkish side makes the delivery of supplies very difficult.
Israeli rabbinate allows relief on Shabbat
Israel's Chief Rabbi David Lau formally authorized on Friday the teams of Israeli Jewish rescuers deployed in Turkey to derogate from the weekly Sabbath rest to continue their operations to help survivors of Monday's earthquake.
'
As long as there is hope of saving lives and finding survivors, operations must continue
,' writes David Lau in letter to civilian and military leaders of Israeli rescue teams in eastern Turkey .
“
The care given to the wounded must not be interrupted
,” he adds.
Read alsoJudaism: spiritual exercises for perfection
During the Shabbat (the Jewish weekly rest which lasts from Friday evening at sunset until Saturday at nightfall), all work is prohibited according to Jewish tradition, except that which can save human lives, an essential principle of Judaism, which favors the protection of life over anything forbidden.
A child emerged alive from the rubble five days after the earthquake
A six-year-old boy was pulled out alive from the rubble on Friday in a town in northwestern Syria.
Moussa Hmeidi, in a state of shock and injured in the face, was in the locality of Jandairis and was rescued by local rescuers, amid cheers.
Read alsoEarthquake in Turkey and Syria: five days later, what are the chances of finding survivors?
Rescuers are still looking for members of his family, probably buried under the rubble.
His brother's body was previously removed lifeless.
The little boy thus held out beyond the 72-hour mark, deemed crucial by experts to find survivors under the rubble.
Rescuers gave him first aid at the scene, wrapping a bandage around his head and putting a bandage on his hand.
Assad and his wife at the bedside of the victims of Aleppo
Bashar al-Assad went this Friday to the bedside of earthquake victims in Aleppo (north), for the first time since the earthquake.
This is his first visit to disaster areas since the earthquake.
The president also toured disaster-stricken neighborhoods in Aleppo, the country's second largest city, according to images from the presidency.