COGAT press release on hospital construction in Gaza

Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon has accepted the recommendation of
Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj.-Gen. Yoav
Mordechay on the issue of approving the entry of construction materials,
electrical equipment, telecommunications and plumbing materials in order to
assist and support the construction of the Turkish hospital in Gaza.

According to the Turkish request, the overall amount contains 500 trucks of
construction materials along with 70 trucks containing electrical and
communications equipment.

Hospital background:

On April 26th 2011, (without any coordination with Israel), the Turkish
government started the process of building the hospital on the remains of
Netzarim, an ancient settlement which was located in Gaza, via a government
company named - 'TIKA'.

The raw materials used to build the hospital, were smuggled through tunnels
and were purchased in the local market, because of the Turkish government
refusal to coordinate the construction with Israel.

The hospital is built upon an area size of 34 acres, including six complexes
(4-6 floors) and contains 160 beds. The project has an estimated cost of 35
million dollars.
During the Ciechanover meetings, the sides agreed upon mutual
coordination.Th first petition was to allow the entry of Turkish
professional personnel and the approval of medical equipment.

COGAT approved in March 2013 the entrance of 25 Turkish professionals, and
extended their visas up to the first quarter of 2014. Additionally, COGAT
approved and coordinated the periodic movement of missions on behalf of the
Turkish representation in Israel.
So far, the entry of 115 trucks which transfer equipment from Israel to Gaza
was coordinated.

On the entry of construction materials into Gaza: - Background

Following the exposure of the terror tunnel in October 2013, the transfer of
construction materials for the private sector and international
organizations was frozen.

On January 26, the Defense Minister approved the re-entering of building
materials for UN agencies, after UN and COGAT established a supervision and
control mechanism, in order to avoid that construction materials fall into
the hands of Hamas for use in constructing fortifications and tunnels.

So far, 24 new projects have been approved within the framework of the
supervision and control mechanism.

Guy Inbar, Major
Spokesman
Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (CoGAT)
03-6977-611, cogatspokesman@gmail.com
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