Humanitarian response to the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake

[12][13] Algeria dispatched the first group of 89 Civil Protection agents to Turkey to participate in rescue and relief operations,[14] and sent 210 tonnes of urgent humanitarian aid for disaster victims.

Turkish Airlines offered to fly the relief to Turkey free of charge, and the Bangladesh government would assist with the customs requirements to ensure swift delivery of humanitarian aid.

[53] A 42-man team consisting firefighters from the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, doctors and members of the National Secretariat for Civil Defense and Protection and the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development departed Guarulhos for Turkey aboard a KC-30 aircraft.

[57][58] The majority was airlifted to Adana Şakirpaşa Airport by five flights of C-27J Spartan aircraft of the Bulgarian Air Force,[59] with part of the firefighters deploying from Plovdiv by land with 21 emergency vehicles.

One volunteer from International Association of Emergency Managers (Hong Kong SAR) assisted the United Nations to operate the Receiption and Departure Centre at Adana Airports for coordinating the rescue teams to conduct life-saving activities.

[128] Nation-wide campaigns to gather relief supplies such as blankets, clothes, milk powder, diapers, napkins, laundry detergents, serums, gauze, hand plasters, personal hygiene items, masks, gloves, antiseptics and medical equipment were initiated, and the items being gathered in Athens and Thessaloniki by humanitarian organizations and agencies,[129] as well as in the smaller cities by the local municipalities[130][131][132] and football federations.

[133] Additionally, the Greek PM ordered 5 airplanes full of health and medical equipment and basic necessities such as 7,500 blankets, 1,500 beds and 500 tents which can accommodate families and be used as mobile clinics, to be sent to Turkey.

[138] On 9 February, upon his arrival at the European Council meeting, Greek PM proposed a donor conference for Turkey to be held at Brussels, so that additional financial resources could be found to help rebuild the affected areas and announced that his country would be "at the forefront [of these efforts] for organizing it".

[139][140] By 10 February, reportedly "thousands" of Greeks had responded to calls for aid to quake-hit Turkey, with the Athens offices of the Hellenic Red Cross, piling up with sleeping bags, blankets, milk cans and boxes of medicine.

[142] On 15 February, the efforts continued with even more humanitarian aid being sent from Greece, with six trucks loaded with specific items requested by the Turkish side, such as blankets, tents, sleeping bags and chemical toilets.

[143] Greek Olympic gold medalist Miltiadis Tentoglou decided to auction his sports shoes which he worn in his long jumping performance at the World Athletics Indoor Tour in France on 15 February, with the proceeds to be donated for the child victims of the quake.

[180] Iraq announced the establishment of a humanitarian air bridge to both Syria and Turkey, to send urgent relief aid, including medicine and fuel, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister's press office.

Of these, 230 were IDF medics operating an Israeli field hospital in Gaziantep, and 167 were from an elite search and rescue unit of Israel Defense Force officers from the Home Front Command.

[201] The Italian Civil Protection sent a team of relief personnel that included members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Crisis Unit, Carabinieri, and the Polizia di Stato's Scientific Police.

According to a press-release from Kyrgyzstan Foreign Affairs, they sent 182 rescuers with 6 specially trained dogs, 120 yurts, 20 warm tents, a medical team from Healthcare Ministry consisting of 6 doctors and 12 paramedics and a field hospital to the affected area.

[citation needed] Turkish minister Ajikeev stated on 22 February 2023 that rescuers from Kyrgyzstan had successfully rescued 8 living people and retrieved 198 dead bodies.

[206] On 13 February Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush announced the donation of US$50 million to rebuilding areas that have been affected by the earthquake in Turkey, adding that this sum is the first installment to be followed by others.

[263] On the instructions of the Prime Minister, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is mobilizing all available resources including winterized tents, blankets and other critical life-saving supplies.

[286][287] Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said a search and rescue group as well as supplies will fly to Turkey through an air bridge.

The search and rescue teams have increased to almost 120 people and are made up of emergency management specialists, healthcare workers and attendants of seven utility dogs that take part in missions in disaster areas.

[307][308] Serbia dispatched two special teams (28 people) and liaison officers to help Turkey along with equipment for breaching and cutting, lifting, rescue, work at heights, and electronic search.

[330][331][non-primary source needed] A donation campaign for humanitarian relief funded by the government, public, and the business community brought the total contribution of Somalia to $5 million.

[336] A total of $5 million worth of humanitarian aid is being sent alongside medical supplies through military transport aircraft, and is also the largest rescue mission being sent by South Korea at once.

[citation needed] The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team of around 200 people to Turkey, including 159 search-and rescue personnel, 12 dogs, experienced emergency managers, hazardous materials technicians, engineers, logisticians, paramedics, planners, and 170,000 pounds (77,000 kg) of specialized tools and equipment.

[454] Human Rights Watch stated on 15 February that the lack of appropriate humanitarian support caused by Bashar al-Assad's policy of "obstructing aid" has proved to be "deadly" for the earthquake-stricken people of Idlib.

[455] Investigative reports by free-lance journalists revealed that the Syrian government had deliberately obstructed aid to opposition-held areas in the North-West, which was the worst-struck region in the earthquake and had over 4,100 deaths.

"[460] Syrian government officials and state-run media blamed United States and European Union sanctions against Syria for the lack of humanitarian aid and hampering rescue.

"[461] Turkey opened the Al-Salameh and Al-rai border crossings during the first week of the earthquakes; which enabled independent and non-governmental relief organizations to send aid to North-West Syria.

The UN secretary general, António Guterres, was urging the security council to authorise the opening of new cross-border aid points between Turkey and Syria, but it was unclear whether that would overcome past objections.

[463] Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham rebel militia that governs Idlib has objected to approving aid sent only through Damascus, accusing the regime of weaponizing humanitarian relief.