EU sees maritime aid corridor to Gaza opening this weekend amid famine fears

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

March 8, 2024 8:55 AM EST


CAIRO/LARNACA, Cyprus, March 8 (Reuters) - The head of the European Commission said on Friday a maritime aid corridor could start operating between Cyprus and Gaza this weekend, part of accelerating Western efforts to relieve the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.

Ursula von der Leyen's comments came a day after President Joe Biden announced plans for the U.S. military to build a "temporary pier" on Gaza's Mediterranean coast, amid U.N. warnings of famine among the territory's 2.3 million people.

Negotiations on a possible ceasefire in Israel's war against Hamas, now in its fifth month, remained deadlocked in Cairo, while the U.N. human rights office urged Israel not to extend its military offensive into the border town of Rafah, saying this would cause a further "massive loss of life".

EU Commission President von der Leyen said a pilot test run of food aid collected by a charity group and supported by the United Arab Emirates could be leaving Cyprus as early as Friday. "We are launching this Cyprus maritime corridor together, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States," she said after visting facilities in Larnaca, Cyprus. "We are now very close to opening this corridor, hopefully this Saturday-Sunday and I'm very glad to see an initial pilot will be launched today."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-sees-maritime-aid-corridor-gaza-opening-this-weekend-amid-famine-fears-2024-03-08/

[dutch777]

1. Will be interesting to see if Israel interferes with this. Pretty sure Bibi is not too happy about it.

[Igel]

3. Old proposal getting off the ground.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/cyprus-outlines-plan-maritime-corridor-get-aid-gaza-2023-11-09/

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/top-eu-official-visits-cyprus-inspect-preparation-supply-107916923

Israel said Friday it welcomed the maritime corridor. But cautioned it would also need security checks.

“The Cypriot initiative will allow the increase of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, after a security check according to Israeli standards,” Lior Haiat, spokesperson for Israel’s foreign ministry, said on X, formerly Twitter.

Sounds like the concerns from November have been dealt with.

Also puts the "plan to build a port" in wider context--not a new idea, not a surprise, but just implementing something that Blinken et al. would have known about for quite a while, also knowing that it was near implementation.

[mitch96]

2. Along with the maritime aid corridor/port I think the US and it's allies should send the Medical ships like

the old USS HOPE type hospital ships. Put it right next to the port to help take care of the sick and injured in this horrible mess..
feed'em and fix'em..
m

[pfitz59]

4. Comfort and Mercy are the hospital ships

Marine Amphibious ships carry water making systems, mobile hospitals and other useful tools. One thing the UN, EU and US cannot do is allow either HAMAS or Israel control distribution.

[mitch96]

5. "cannot do is allow either HAMAS or Israel control distribution." True... They will just continue the conflict

to the innocents who need the assistance.. This is humanitarian aid not political or military aid...
m