UAE aid ship using maritime corridor reaches Gaza Strip
The UAE has announced the arrival of the first ship carrying 200 tonnes of food and relief supplies to the Gaza Strip. The aid was delivered via maritime corridor launched from Larnaca Port in Cyprus to Gaza in collaboration between the UAE, World Central Kitchen (WCK), and the Republic of Cyprus.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) underlined the UAE’S endeavours to mobilise efforts within the “Amalthea” maritime corridor to successfully deliver relief aid to the northern Gaza Strip. The Ministry commended the vital efforts of the leadership of Cyprus, World Central Kitchen, and international partners to strengthen the humanitarian response to civilians of northern Gaza.
Furthermore, the Ministry affirmed that the exacerbating humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip requires adopting a collective international approach to immediately mitigate harm to innocent civilians, by ensuring urgent, safe, unhindered, and sustainable delivery of aid.
The Ministry reaffirmed that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained and dedicated effort to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial commodities through all possible routes.
As part of its unwavering commitment to the brotherly Palestinian people and efforts to implement humanitarian initiatives aimed at providing relief, the UAE has delivered 21,000 tonnes of urgent supplies, including food, water, and medical items. The country dispatched through 213 flights, 8 airdrops, 946 trucks, and two ships.
The charity said it was unloading the first shipment of food aid sent via a maritime corridor from Cyprus to war-ravaged Gaza.
“World Central Kitchen is unloading the barge connected now to the jety,” said Linda Roth, a spokesperson for the group.
The Israeli military confirmed that the vessel, the Open Arms, had arrived in Gaza waters and said Israeli troops had “been deployed to secure the area.”
“The vessel underwent a comprehensive security inspection,” the military said.
“The coordinated entry of humanitarian aid was carried out in accordance with the agreement with the civilian company. It is important to emphasise that the delivery of humanitarian aid does not breach the maritime security blockade.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had approved the military’s plan for an operation in Rafah, where most of warbatered Gaza’s population has sought refuge.
Netanyahu “approved the plans for action in Rafah,” his office said in a statement, without giving details or a timeline.
The statement said the military was “prepared for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population”.
Israel said on Friday it would send a delegation to Qatar for fresh talks on a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, keeping faint hopes for a truce alive despite rejecting a long-awaited counter-offer from Hamas.
Negotiators failed this week to reach a ceasefire agreement for the Gaza war in time for the Ramadan Muslim holy month. But Washington and Arab mediators are still determined to reach a deal to head off an Israeli assault on Rafah and let in humanitarian aid to stave off mass starvation.
EU countries have reached a preliminary agreement to impose sanctions on “violent” Israeli setlers in the West Bank, and on Hamas for sexual violence during the October 7 atack, officials said on Friday.
A high-ranking EU official said that he expected foreign ministers from the bloc’s 27 member states to give political backing to the moves at a meeting in Brussels on Monday.
Britain and the United States have already imposed sanctions on a small number of Israeli setlers accused of commiting human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.
Top UN judges will start listening to submissions next month in the case filed by Nicaragua accusing Berlin of facilitating “genocide” in Gaza because of its support for Israel.
The Palestinian Health Ministry accused Israeli forces of launching an atack near an aid distribution point in war-wracked northern Gaza, killing 20 people and wounding 155. The Israeli military said that Palestinian gunmen opened fire in that atack and that none of its forces fired toward the waiting crowd or the aid convoy.
Israel to attend new Gaza truce talks despite rejecting Hamas offer; Netanyahu clears plan for Rafah operation; EU set to impose sanctions on Israeli settlers.