Global powers will hold a conference in Paris next Thursday aimed at coordinating aid and providing assistance to the wounded in the Palestinian Gaza Strip. European diplomats have indicated the potential consideration of establishing a maritime corridor and floating hospitals on ships, as well as field hospitals.
One month after the October 7 attack launched by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people in Israel, concerns are growing about the civilian casualties that have increased due to retaliatory Israeli airstrikes. The bombardment has led to the death of more than ten thousand Palestinians, with countless others injured and many forced to flee their homes.
Several stakeholder countries in the region, such as Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf states, along with Western powers and members of the G20 excluding Russia, will participate in the conference. International organizations and non-governmental organizations operating in Gaza are also expected to attend. The Palestinian Authority will participate as well. Although Israel has not been invited, it will remain informed about developments.
The main aim of the conference is to mobilize financial resources and find ways to deliver aid to the region, in addition to evacuating the seriously injured due to the rapid collapse of medical infrastructure in Gaza. Cyprus, the closest EU member state to Gaza, has proposed the delivery of additional assistance via a maritime corridor. Four diplomats noted that this would expand limited capacities beyond the Rafah crossing located between Egypt and Gaza, but they acknowledged the difficulty of the idea.
The diplomats indicated that Israeli officials would want to inspect all goods coming from the port of Limassol in Cyprus. They stated that recipients of the aid would need to be verified due to concerns about the possibility of relief materials falling into the hands of Hamas. They added that Israel would also want to verify the aid going to Gaza and opposes supplying the area with much-needed fuel.
A senior EU official said, "There is no suitable port in Gaza for such a purpose... it would require building a floating marina by a country with appropriate maritime expertise." Should this proposal proceed, the safety of the aid transport must be ensured, and a temporary cessation of hostilities is likely needed.
#### Floating Hospitals
In addition to the Cypriot proposal, diplomats said that France has also proposed advancing the idea of extending the corridor for evacuating the seriously injured to hospitals on ships in the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza coast. They clarified that discussions about this idea are ongoing with Israeli and Egyptian authorities, but the key point revolves around securing support from a few countries willing to send ships with necessary medical capabilities.
Paris is preparing a helicopter carrier for this purpose, equipped with beds and facilities to perform surgeries as well as medications and medical staff. It is not expected to arrive in the region for another ten days.
Israeli Colonel Elad Goren, head of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, told reporters on Tuesday, "Regarding the humanitarian corridor with France, there is an idea to bring a ship with some medical capabilities." He added, "We are working with the French and the Egyptians to try to establish a mechanism for evacuating the injured, but work is still ongoing."
Two diplomats stated that the Italian Minister of Defense wrote in a letter to his European counterparts, asserting that Italy is also prepared to send a ship equipped with an intensive care unit and surgical capabilities as soon as possible.
#### Evacuation
One diplomat remarked, "But the question is how the evacuation will take place from land to ships?... From land first via Egypt or Israel? Directly from Gaza by sea? The matter is very complex." Three diplomats noted that floating hospitals are, in any case, only a temporary solution, with the ultimate goal being the establishment of field hospitals either near the borders in Gaza or on the Egyptian side.
One diplomat said, "The Egyptians do not want to establish multiple field hospitals on their side of the border because they could be used as a pretext to push Palestinians into Sinai."
