NICOSIA: Two-hundred tonnes of food aid were “ready” to be sent from Cyprus to the besieged Gaza Strip by sea, a Spanish NGO said Saturday, the first shipment along an EU-backed maritime corridor.
Open Arms, the charity organizing the mission, confirmed that preparations were in place for the vessel, also named Open Arms, to depart from the Cypriot port of Larnaca later in the day or by Sunday. Laura Lanuza, a spokeswoman for Open Arms, stated that the cargo, consisting of essential food items such as rice, flour, and canned tuna, was ready for transport pending final authorizations and permits.
Israeli authorities, who have supported the Cypriot initiative, have already commenced inspecting the aid cargo. The shipment, organized in collaboration with US charity World Central Kitchen, aims to alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where overland access restrictions have severely limited access to essential supplies.
Preparations for Aid Delivery to Gaza
World Central Kitchen teams in Gaza have begun preparations to receive the aid shipment, including the construction of a dock for unloading purposes. The NGO has been actively involved in distributing food and providing cooking assistance in Gaza since the onset of the Israeli bombardment six months ago.
The initiative comes amidst mounting international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressing hopes for the opening of the maritime aid corridor this Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has announced plans for a US-led effort to establish a “temporary offshore maritime pier” in Gaza, a process expected to involve over 1,000 American personnel and take up to 60 days to complete.
