Proposal from Cyprus - Israel allows aid deliveries to Gaza via the Mediterranean
Israel has given Cyprus the green light in principle for a humanitarian aid corridor to the Gaza Strip via the Mediterranean. A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that his country had agreed to the proposal on the condition that international aid shipments would be checked in Cyprus "under Israeli supervision" and then delivered directly to the Gaza Strip.
Israel had given the green light "in principle" for the use of the sea route via Cyprus for aid deliveries, ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told AFP news agency. "But there are still some logistical problems that need to be solved."
40 percent of people in Gaza threatened by hunger
Cyprus had already submitted the proposal more than a month ago. The aim is to bring large quantities of urgently needed aid to the Gaza Strip by sea. The aid that has so far reached the Palestinian territory by land is far from sufficient. The 2.4 million people in the Gaza Strip lack water, food, fuel and medicines.
According to the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), 40 percent of the population living in the Gaza Strip is at risk of starvation as a result of the fighting. "Every day is a struggle to survive, to find food and water," wrote the Gaza Director of UNRWA, Thomas White, on Thursday on the online platform X, formerly Twitter. Gaza is grappling with a famine that threatens 40 percent of the population.
Cyprus is located around 370 kilometers from the Gaza Strip and maintains good relations with both Israel and neighboring Arab states. Many foreign citizens were also evacuated from Israel via the Mediterranean island following the attack on Israel by the radical Islamic group Hamas on October 7.
The Gaza war began with the unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel. Hundreds of Hamas fighters invaded Israel on October 7 and committed atrocities there, mainly against civilians. According to Israeli reports, around 1140 people were killed and 250 others were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. 129 hostages are still in the Palestinian territory.
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel has been attacking targets in the Gaza Strip ever since. According to the Hamas Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 21,300 people have been killed so far.
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- The proposed humanitarian aid corridor to the Gaza Strip via the Mediterranean Sea will be overseen by Israel, allowing for auxiliary deliveries to directly reach the people in need, as recently approved by Israel towards Cyprus.
- The Gaza Strip, located along the Mediterranean Sea, is currently facing severe food, water, fuel, and medical shortages, with 40% of its population at risk of starvation due to the ongoing conflict, as reported by UNRWA.
- Despite Cyprus being around 370 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, the country has shown support by proposing an aid delivery route via the Mediterranean, aiming to address the critical needs in the Gaza Strip, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict with Israel.
Source: www.stern.de
