For the first time since 2005, a ship carrying humanitarian aid has reached Gaza via a maritime corridor established with Cyprus to address the worsening crisis in the region. The ship "Open Arms" is carrying about 200 tons of rice, flour, and canned goods, which will be distributed in the besieged Palestinian territory through the global relief organization "World Central Kitchen," founded by the famous Spanish-American chef José Andrés. The charity is preparing a 60-meter long dock in Gaza to deliver the aid, as stated by its founder José Andrés in a post on the social media platform X. An unverified video circulated on social media showed a bulldozer leveling a dock made of debris on the Gaza beach.
The Spanish charity ship "Open Arms," coming from Cyprus, was spotted off the coast of Gaza early Friday, according to the maritime tracking site "Marine Traffic." Andrés’ ship is the first attempt to deliver food via a maritime corridor announced earlier this month by the United States, the European Commission, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom.
Andrés built his reputation through a distinctive collection of cookbooks and a series of restaurants around the world, but he is also known for his passion for traveling to disaster and conflict zones, bringing food relief with the "World Central Kitchen," which he co-founded.
Born in Spain, Andrés left his parents' home at the age of fifteen and began working in the hospitality industry. He later attended a culinary school, receiving guidance from a prominent chef before moving to the United States at the age of 21. He initially worked in the kitchen of the famous "Jaleo" restaurant in Washington, D.C. in 1993. From there, his successful career began to take shape as he quickly opened more than 30 restaurants, most of them in the United States, many of which are located in the capital.
In 2003, Andrés crowned his successes by receiving the annual "James Beard" award for excellence in cooking. In 2010, he founded "World Central Kitchen," and prior to that, he frequently spoke out on issues such as hunger, child obesity, supporting agricultural businesses, minimum wage, and immigration reform.
Andrés, of Spanish origin, became a U.S. citizen in 2013, is married to Patricia Fernández de la Cruz, and they have three daughters. In 2018, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, with renowned chef Emeril Lagasse stating that Andrés "has helped shape the history and path of American cooking by bringing his unique style of Spanish food and culture."
José Andrés and his partners established "World Central Kitchen" after he volunteered to help feed people in Haiti following the devastating earthquake in 2010. Gradually, the charity grew and became capable of responding quickly to natural disasters impacting various regions worldwide, including devastating hurricanes that struck Texas and Puerto Rico, as well as wildfires in the western United States and Australia.
