JERUSALEM — Desperately Needed Food Aid for Gaza Departing from Cyprus
The long-awaited shipment of food aid bound for Gaza finally set sail from Cyprus on Saturday after weeks of disruptions caused by a deadly Israeli airstrike that claimed the lives of seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers.
The tragic deaths of these aid workers, including six foreigners, sparked international outrage against Israel, leading to the suspension of operations by several aid providers in Gaza. Among them was WCK, a key player in the newly established sea corridor from Cyprus.
However, a ray of hope emerged as the United Arab Emirates teamed up with an aid agency to send essential assistance to Gaza through the Israeli port of Ashdod. An official from the UAE revealed to CNN that a vessel carrying vital food aid departed on Saturday in collaboration with American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA).
The ship, named “Jennifer,” departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 9 a.m. local time and is expected to arrive at Israel’s Ashdod port after a journey of 25 to 30 hours, according to ANERA’s emergency response team lead in the West Bank, Mohenad Itayam.
Upon arrival, the 400 tons of aid will undergo Israeli security clearance before being loaded onto trucks bound for the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Gaza, as explained by Itayam to CNN.
The UAE official emphasized that the nation’s partnership with ANERA aims to deliver life-saving aid to the people of Gaza and hinted at a potential departure window for the trucks on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, Gaza faced more tragedy with three casualties, including the daughter of a renowned Palestinian poet killed in an Israeli airstrike on Friday, as reported by multiple sources.
ANERA’s preference for the Erez crossing into Gaza remains unfulfilled due to readiness issues, but hopes are high for its opening within a week or so, Itayam added, noting that the organization is in close coordination with Israeli authorities.
Once the aid reaches Gaza, ANERA’s dedicated teams on the ground, supported by the community and vetted by the organization, will oversee the distribution process, with a focus on northern Gaza initially, depending on security conditions.
“The UAE has already delivered over 31,000 tons of urgent supplies, utilizing various means of transportation, and continues to explore all options to maximize aid delivery to Gaza,” the UAE official informed CNN.
Amidst these efforts, the Royal Navy of the UK announced the deployment of the support ship “RFA Cardigan Bay” from Cyprus to assist in constructing a temporary pier off Gaza’s coast to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery.
The United States is already involved in the pier construction, aiming to kickstart sea-based aid delivery to Gaza in early May, as per a senior US military official.
Despite these initiatives, Gaza remains in dire need of sustained aid, with half of its population teetering on the edge of starvation, as per the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The road to recovery for Gaza seems long and challenging, but global efforts are underway to ease the suffering of its people. — CNN
