Humanitarian aid being transported from Cyprus to Gaza is vital for the residents of the Palestinian enclave, according to the US Department of Defense. The aid that arrived by sea from Cyprus to Gaza is estimated at 506 tons. In Cyprus on Monday, the Emir of Qatar with “Amalthia” and aid to Gaza being at the center of his talks with President Christodoulidis.
According to the latest update from the US Pentagon on the humanitarian aid channeled into Gaza from the jetty built by the US military, it is estimated at 506 tons. According to the deputy commander of the US Central Command, Brad Cooper, this aid has been flown to Gaza through the temporary pier since the day it became operational on May 17.
The US Department of Defense statement said, among other things, that the US is also working closely with Cyprus, the Government of Israel, the UN and international donors, including the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the European Union, as part of the multi-step process to bring aid to Gaza by sea. International donors send first aid to Cyprus, where it is checked and packaged before being loaded onto ships to be transported to the temporary wharf. From the jetty, the aid is unloaded at a staging area before being further distributed in Gaza by aid agencies.
The situation in Gaza and the effort to transfer humanitarian aid will be at the center of the talks that the Emir of Qatar and President Christodoulidis will have next Tuesday. An announcement from the Presidency states that the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will arrive in Cyprus on Monday, May 27, where he will be received by the President of the Republic, followed by an informal one-on-one meeting at Larnaca Airport. The following morning, the Emir of Qatar will proceed to the Presidential Palace, where the official reception ceremony will take place. This will be followed by a private meeting between the two leaders, who will then proceed to extended talks between the delegations of the two countries. Among other things, the talks between the two leaders will focus on bilateral relations and ways to further strengthen them, regional developments, including the “Amalthia” initiative, the Cyprus issue, as well as issues related to EU-Qatar relations.
The “Amalthia” initiative is a mechanism for the safe provision of significant aid from Cyprus to Gaza, said the Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Ambassador Maria Michael at the open debate of the UN Security Council on “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts”, in which he participated. Ms. Michael emphasized the need to respect international law, including the UN Charter, but also to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
According to Ms. Michael, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate and given its geographical proximity and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2720, Cyprus, in coordination with humanitarian partners and other countries, launched the Initiative for Cyprus Sea Corridor (Amalthia Initiative) which concerns a mechanism for the safe delivery of significant amounts of aid from Cyprus to Gaza by sea. “The sea corridor is part of an ongoing effort to increase the flow of much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza through all possible avenues,” noted the Permanent Representative of Cyprus.
In another development, the White House , earlier this week, had stressed that Israel should not withhold resources intended for the Palestinians, in retaliation after the decision of three European countries to recognize the state of Palestine. “I think this is a bad strategic decision because withholding resources destabilizes the West Bank, undermines the pursuit of Palestinian security and well-being, which is in Israel's interest, and resources should not be withheld that allow providing goods and services to innocent people,' said White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan during a press conference.
