A SHIP carrying desperately needed humanitarian aid is expected to set sail this weekend, bound for Gaza.
The Spanish vessel, Open Arms, is scheduled to depart from Cyprus – the closest EU country to Gaza – and hope to use a newly opened shipping route.
With no functioning port and shallow waters, it is still unclear where the ship will dock when it reaches Gaza.
The UN says a quarter of the Strip’s population is on the brink of famine and children are starving to death.
The ship, expected to reach Gaza in the next few days, belongs to the Spanish charity of the same name, Open Arms.
It will tow a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of food provided by US charity World Central Kitchen, Open Arms founder Oscar Camps told the Associated Press.
The ship is expected to depart Cyprus’ Larnaca port this weekend, and will take around two to three days to reach an undisclosed location off the coast of Gaza, Mr Camps told the news agency.
He added that the final mile of the journey – which is about 216 nautical miles in total – would be “the most complicated operation”, but added that he was not “concerned at all about security”.
At the destination point, a team from the World Central Kitchen has been building a pier to receive the aid, he said. The group has 60 kitchens throughout Gaza, where it will be able to distribute the food.
“What initially appeared as an insurmountable challenge is now on the verge of realization,” read a post on Open Arms’ X account.
“Our tugboat stands prepared to embark at a moment’s notice, laden with tons of food, water, and vital supplies for Palestinian civilians.”
World Central Kitchen said it had been preparing for the aid trip for weeks, waiting for the shipping route to open.
The maritime corridor was announced by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, while she was in Cyprus.
That came a day after President Joe Biden announced that the US plans to build a temporary floating port to Gaza’s shoreline.
The Pentagon later said it would take up to 60 days to complete and need about 1,000 troops to build – none of whom would go ashore.
The port will be able to receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters, US officials said. Initial shipments will arrive via Cyprus, where Israeli security inspections will take place.