Abu Dhabi: Today, three ships and a barge embarked from Cyprus towards northern Gaza, loaded with hundreds of tonnes of food, leveraging improved weather conditions for the voyage.
This operation marks the second such shipment destined to support Gaza’s residents, featuring essential food supplies sufficient to prepare over one million meals. The cargo includes a variety of self-stable and ready-to-eat items, including rice, pasta, flour, legumes, canned vegetables, and proteins, aimed at alleviating food scarcity in the region.
This significant effort to open a maritime route to Gaza has been spearheaded by World Central Kitchen and Open Arms, in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates and with support from Cyprus. This initiative represents a critical step in scaling humanitarian efforts to deliver aid to Gaza through a newly established maritime aid corridor, in addition to ongoing land and air routes.
World Central Kitchen’s contribution to the crisis includes the provision of more than 43 million meals across land, air, and sea channels to Palestinians in need. Simultaneously, the UAE has played a pivotal role in delivering 26,000 tonnes of essential supplies, including food, water, and medical resources. This substantial aid package has been transported via 229 flights, 19 airdrops, 1,035 trucks, and three ships, underlining the UAE’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people.
Despite these efforts, the necessity for the opening of land crossings remains critical to effectively prevent a famine in the region. The collaboration between World Central Kitchen, Open Arms, the UAE, and Cyprus highlights the global solidarity and urgent humanitarian response required to address the pressing needs of Palestinians in Gaza.
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