UN: Opening a Maritime Corridor to Gaza is Not a Substitute for Land Aid Delivery

Two senior UN officials welcomed the opening of a maritime corridor from Cyprus to facilitate more aid to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, but stated that this cannot replace the delivery of humanitarian assistance by land. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, Sigird Kaag, and Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services, Jorge Moreira da Silva, said, "Regarding the large-scale delivery of aid, there is no credible alternative to the many land routes and entry points from Israel to Gaza. The land routes from Egypt, particularly Rafah, and Jordan are also essential for comprehensive humanitarian efforts." They added, "However, the maritime corridor represents a needed addition and is part of a sustainable humanitarian response to deliver assistance as effectively as possible through all available means."