Ursula von der Leyen reported on Friday that a charity ship is set off to sail to Gaza as part of a pilot operation to test a new humanitarian sea corridor.
Ursula von der Leyen said the EU, together with the United States, the United Arab Emirates and other interested partner countries, is launching a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of aid to Gaza.
Earlier, the US had already attempted to provide air aid on Friday, killing 5 people when at least one parachute failed to open properly and a parcel fell on them.
She confirmed that the corridor will open as early as Sunday; additionally, the ship, owned by Spanish NGO Open Arms, docked in Larnaca, awaiting permission to deliver food aid from World Central Kitchen, a US charity.
Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Cyprus late Thursday to inspect equipment at the port of Larnaca, from where ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza are expected to depart.
Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulidis proposed using the port, 230 miles from Gaza, back in November.
The efforts to dramatically increase aid deliveries reflect growing dissatisfaction with Israel’s behaviour in the war in the US and Europe, and amid growing concern about the spread of hunger among Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Hunger is most acute in northern Gaza, which has been isolated for months by Israeli troops
