Israeli foreign minister backs plan to ‘fast-track’ Gaza aid via Cyprus
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Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos (left) welcoming his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen to Larnaca on Dec 20.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LARNACA, Cyprus – Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen expressed support during his visit to Cyprus on Dec 20 for plans to send humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip
Cyprus has proposed establishing a corridor to collect, inspect and store aid on the island before shipping it to Gaza.
Mr Cohen, after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos, emphasised the need for an “organised and well inspected” transfer of aid.
“We aim to create a fast track for humanitarian aid to Gaza through this corridor,” Mr Cohen told reporters.
The ministers visited a search and rescue coordination centre in the Cypriot city of Larnaca, discussing logistical details for the plan.
Mr Cohen also inspected facilities at Larnaca port, the departure point for aid shipments.
Cyprus was ready to deliver large quantities of aid through this “maritime lifeline” expected to provide “a sustained flow of high-volume humanitarian assistance to the civilians” in Gaza, Mr Kombos said.
“We look forward to your green light for the first voyage,” he told Mr Cohen.
Under the plan, the aid would be checked in Cyprus by a joint committee, including representatives from Israel.
The initiative aims to enhance humanitarian relief to Gaza by importing large volumes by ship instead of the limited deliveries by truck through the Rafah border crossing
Israel is facing mounting international pressure that could speed up the dispatch of much-needed aid to Gaza, which has been subjected to months of sustained Israeli bombardment.
Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that rules Gaza, in response to the Oct 7 attacks on Israel
Its retaliatory aerial bombing and ground offensive has killed 19,667 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
The Israeli response has also left swathes of Gaza in ruins, including hospitals. The United Nations says it has displaced 1.9 million of the territory’s 2.4 million people.
Forced into overcrowded shelters,
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides has promoted his Gaza initiative among fellow European Union leaders and friendly Arab states, and Larnaca was chosen because of its proximity to the Middle East.
The city is also home to the island’s international airport, which is expected to receive aid from other countries. AFP
