Turkey sends aid to Arab countries to fight coronavirus

GAZA STRIP/BEIRUT, Lebanon

Turkey’s state aid agency on Wednesday sent aid packages to both Lebanon and Palestine to fight the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

In the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) handed out personal care packages to 2,000 needy families with the help of a local NGO.

Since 2006, Israel has imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip, where nearly 2 million Palestinians live, taking a grim toll on the economy, health, and education.

There are 329 COVID-19 cases in Palestine and the official death toll is two.

TIKA also provided medical assistance, including glasses, masks, medical gloves, and disinfectants, to healthcare institutions in Libya’s capital Beirut and the southern city of Saida as part of efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Orhan Aydin, the agency’s Lebanon coordinator, told Anadolu Agency that this move shows TIKA’s desire to help Lebanon’s efforts to stem the virus’ spread across the country.

Underlining that Turkey stands in solidarity with Lebanon, Aydin said the two countries continue cooperation in all fields.

Lebanon has had 658 cases, while the death toll is at 21.

The novel coronavirus has spread to 185 countries and regions since emerging in China last December, with the U.S. and Europe being the hardest-hit areas in the world.

Over 2 million cases have now been reported worldwide, with the death toll more than 130,000 and over a half-million recoveries, according to figures compiled by the U.S.’ Johns Hopkins University.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz