On Saturday, a three-ship convoy departing from a port in Cyprus, transporting 400 tonnes of food and other provisions for the destitute Palestinians in Gaza, as fears grow about the extent of famine in the region.
According to the United States-based charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), the vessels and a barge were transporting an abundance of ready-to-eat provisions, such as pasta, rice, flour, legumes, tinned vegetables, and proteins, sufficient to supply over one million meals.
Supplying Meals and Support Amidst Israel’s Naval Changes
Dates, which are customarily consumed to break the daily fast during the sacred month of Ramadan, were also present on board.
Following Israel’s relaxation of a 17-year naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in order to permit aid sourced by WCK to access the territory from Cyprus, this is the second shipment of the month.
It follows the establishment of a maritime corridor by Cypriot authorities and Israel intending to facilitate the direct delivery of pre-screened cargo to Gaza.
With 200 tonnes of food, water, and other aid, a ship operated by the Spanish charity Open Arms commenced the direct maritime route to the Palestinian territory earlier this month. As there are no port facilities in the territory, a rudimentary jetty was constructed using debris to unload the cargo.
For future maritime deliveries, the convoy on Saturday consists of two forklifts, a crane, and a crew to operate the crane.
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Floating Pier to Facilitate Humanitarian Aid for Gaza
In a distinct endeavor, the United States intends to build a floating pier off the coast of Gaza in order to receive humanitarian assistance.
Citing consultations with US officials earlier in the week, Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides stated late on Friday that while the completion date is set for 1 May, it could be finished by approximately 15 April.
A cargo ship, a barge towed by a salvage vessel, and a tugboat hauling a support team will transport the aid to Gaza. The journey is estimated to take approximately sixty hours, according to a Cypriot official.
WCK, which has been active in Gaza for months, collaborated with the Open Arms charity to organize the mission, which was primarily funded by the United Arab Emirates and supported by the Cypriot government.
The precise arrival time of the most recent convoy of ships to Gaza remains uncertain; however, the United Nations and its allies have issued a dire warning that famine may soon strike the largely isolated and devastated northern region of Gaza.
The United States military announced on Friday, via airdrop, that it had delivered more than 100,000 pounds of aid that day and nearly 1,000,000 pounds in total as part of a multi-country effort. However, humanitarian officials assert that sea and air deliveries are insufficient and that Israel must permit the transportation of significantly more aid by road.
The highest court of the United Nations has mandated that Israel increase the number of land crossings it reopens and implement additional measures to combat the humanitarian crisis.
Fights have ensnared approximately 300,000 individuals in the northern Gaza Strip, where the United Nations has issued an impending catastrophe warning.
The organization notes that by July, more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants could be facing catastrophe. Over eighty percent of the populace has experienced displacement.
Israel has been accused by United Nations officials of obstructing humanitarian supplies to Gaza. However, Israeli officials refute these allegations and assert that UN and humanitarian agencies are responsible for the delivery of aid once they enter the territory.
Hamas-run local health authorities reported on Saturday that 32,705 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli ground offensive and airstrikes; 82 carcasses have been transported to hospitals in the past twenty-four hours.
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