Iranian, Turkish Health Ministers Discuss Dispatch of Relief Aid to Gaza

"All (the needed) medical equipment have been prepared for dispatch to Gaza by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) since the beginning of the tragic events against the people of Gaza," Hashemi said during the telephone conversations on Sunday evening.

He noted that a number of 1,000 physicians and nurses have voiced their readiness to help the injured people in Gaza.

The Turkish health minister, for his part, noted that thousands of injured people in Gaza need medical services, and said, "There is currently no operating route to help the injured people and unfortunately no serious help has, so far, been extended to the injured people in the Strip."

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham announced that dispatch of foodstuff and medical aid to the people of Gaza has been postponed for a while due to some problems, but meantime noted that Tehran and Cairo are continuing their talks for delivering the aid cargo.

"Dispatch of the aids has been postponed for a while due to technical and administrative reasons and contacts are underway with concerned Egyptian officials to finalize the affairs and dispatch the aids," Afkham told reporters.

She noted that Iran hopes to supply the Gaza people with these aids with the help and cooperation of the Egyptian government in the shortest time possible.

On Thursday, Afkham called on the Egyptian government to open Rafah border crossing to the humanitarian aids destined for the Gaza Strip.

"We hope that the arrival of humanitarian aids of different countries to Gaza could alleviate the sufferings of the innocent people of this region who are facing tough living conditions, lack of medical supplies and human assistance," She said.

Afkham noted that the shipment "is waiting to receive permission to pass through Rafah border crossing."