Cyprus maritime route: How will aid be distributed in Gaza?

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Aid shipments are set to depart from the port of Larnaca in Cyprus, destined for the besieged Palestinian enclave. These efforts come amidst ongoing suffering and famine caused by the Israeli war on Gaza.

Scheduled to commence on Sunday, before Ramadan, the first ship is expected to sail from Cyprus through a maritime corridor established by the European Union in collaboration with Nicosia and other allied nations towards Gaza.

The journey is estimated to take approximately 15 hours and cover a distance of about 370 kilometers across the Mediterranean Sea.

The vessel, operated by the Spanish charitable organization Open Arms, will carry food aid collected by the American charity World Central Kitchen.

According to LBCI's sources, the World Central Kitchen will cooperate with teams there to conduct the aid distribution process. For security reasons, more details will not be disclosed.

Upon arrival in Cyprus, the aid will undergo security checks by Cypriot authorities under the supervision of Israeli security personnel. Subsequently, Israeli naval vessels will escort the aid shipment to Gaza, where it will be offloaded onto small boats for distribution within the territory.

Additionally, Israel has permitted the United Arab Emirates to transport aid to Gaza via Cyprus, where several Emirati ships are docked in Larnaca.

However, how will aid be distributed in Gaza, and through which channels will it be delivered?

Reports from Tel Aviv suggest that certain clans in Gaza have been contacted to be informed of the aid's arrival schedule. The intention is for them to oversee distribution independently, avoiding any engagement with Hamas or other factions involved in governance.