A ship loaded with relief supplies is set to depart from Cyprus en route to Gaza today, Saturday, as part of efforts to assist the Palestinian residents who are on the brink of starvation. The European Commission announced that a maritime aid corridor between Cyprus and Gaza could begin operations early this week as part of a pilot project run by an international charity and funded by the United Arab Emirates.
The first missions through this corridor are expected to be carried out using the ship Open Arms, which is owned by a Spanish NGO that is more accustomed to rescuing migrants at sea. Live footage from Reuters showed that the ship was still at the port of Larnaca in Cyprus on Saturday afternoon. Authorities were unable to provide a specific departure time.
Cyprus is located about 210 miles northwest of Gaza, a distance that can be covered by sailing in approximately 15 hours. Separately, the United States announced its intention to build a temporary dock to bring aid to Gaza, which lacks port infrastructure. Washington also plans to initially work with Cyprus to provide inspection processes for shipments in collaboration with Israeli officials, eliminating the need for security checks in Gaza.
