The first maritime shipment of humanitarian aid to Gaza – food aid from aid agency World Central Kitchen – could leave the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus by Saturday, weather permitting, officials said Friday. Cypriot officials.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union’s executive body, described the shipment as a «pilot project» for a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, but gave few details on how it would place nor on the place in the territory where it would be delivered. .
Celebrity Spanish chef José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, posted images on social networks Friday, showing pallets loaded onto a ship bearing the names of his group and Open Arms, a Spanish humanitarian group. He said plans for the shipment were «in the final stages» and that it would «land on the beaches of Gaza with 200 pallets.» It remains unclear how the aid, if it reaches Gaza, would be collected or distributed.
Since October, Palestinian organizers and cooks working with World Central Kitchen have served more than 32 million meals in Gaza, the group said. His efforts could be bolstered by U.S. military plans to build a floating jetty to deliver more aid to Gaza, and by announcements Friday by Britain, the European Union and other countries that they would establish a maritime corridor for aid to the territory.
In an interview Thursday, after the United States announced plans to build the floating pier, Mr. Andrés said it would give the group critical access to a steady supply of food they would need to more than double meals. which they serve daily. and further help the population of the northern part of Gaza.
“We’re trying to do the impossible,” he said. “It’s worth trying the impossible to feed the people of Gaza.”
The organization has established 65 community kitchens in Gaza, run by local Palestinians, and plans to add at least 35 more, Mr. Andrés said. About 350,000 meals are served each day, but Mr. Andrés said he would like to distribute more than a million meals.
Getting food and aid to Gaza has been a challenge, he said. World Central Kitchen resorted to aid through airdrops with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.