Aid destined for Gaza was being prepared for shipment aboard a vessel in Cyprus on Wednesday, marking the inaugural use of a U.S.-built pier intended to streamline the delivery of supplies to the embattled region.
At the port of Larnaca, containers were being loaded onto the Sagamore, a ship flying the U.S. flag. Some of these containers were identified as aid contributions from the United Arab Emirates.
Konstantinos Letymbiotis, a spokesperson for the Cyprus government, confirmed the completion of a U.S.-constructed jetty designed to facilitate aid shipments to Gaza.
The departure time for the vessel remained uncertain. The initiative comes amidst a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Israel’s military campaign against Hamas has resulted in widespread devastation.
Aid organizations warn of an imminent famine threatening the 2.3 million residents of the enclave.
In response to the challenges posed by border closures and military operations, Cyprus initiated a sea corridor in March to directly transport aid to Gaza.
This effort was bolstered by the construction of the U.S.-supported offshore jetty, aimed at enhancing the delivery process.
The significance of this development is underscored by the urgency of the humanitarian crisis.
The tragic loss of seven workers from the U.S.-based charity World Food Kitchen (WCK) in an Israeli airstrike on April 1 highlighted the perilous conditions faced by aid workers in the region.
Gaza’s lack of port infrastructure renders the U.S.-built jetty pivotal in facilitating the efficient offloading of aid shipments.
Once the aid arrives, it will be transferred onto U.S. military logistics support vessels before being transported to a causeway, from where it will be loaded onto trucks for distribution within Gaza.
