Turkish doctors to provide surgeries in blockaded Gaza

A Turkish medical delegation on Monday began carrying out surgical operations for Palestinian patients in Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital.

Over the next six days, members of Doctors Worldwide Turkey, an independent charitable organization, will provide badly-needed medical services at the hospital.

The five-doctor delegation consists of an anesthesiologist, two pediatric surgeons and two orthopedic surgeons.

The delegation's visit aims to provide medical assistance to the people of Gaza, who continue suffer under an 11-year Israeli blockade that has led to severe shortages of medicine and medical equipment.

"Members of the delegation, in cooperation with local doctors, began conducting surgeries today," Safa Şimşek, the organization's program director, told Anadolu Agency on Monday.

The number of patients to receive treatment, he added, "will depend on the nature of treatment required and how much time each patient needs".