In the future, aid deliveries to Gaza will start from the Cypriot port city of Larnaca. EU Commission chief von der Leyen is optimistic that the first ships will be able to leave this weekend.
Ursula von der Leyen stands on a viewing platform at the port of Larnaka in the southeast of Cyprus in the morning. The head of the EU Commission has the work in the control center explained to her. This is a separate area in the port that Cyprus set up for emergencies a long time ago.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides accompanied von der Leyen. At a press conference following the visit, he made it clear: “Since last October, our team has been working on developing a maritime corridor from Larnaca to Gaza. We have done this because we are convinced that Cyprus, as a member of the European Union, is at the heart of the “The region has a moral obligation to contribute to addressing the humanitarian crisis, leveraging its excellent relationships with countries in the region.”
Gaza Strip almost 400 km away
The Gaza Strip is almost 400 kilometers away from Larnaca. In January, the first British Navy ship set off with relief supplies for the people of Gaza. However, it did not dock directly there, but in the Egyptian port of Port Said. The relief supplies had to be transported overland.
Von der Leyen says she knows the problems: “And that’s why today the Republic of Cyprus, the European Commission, the United Arab Emirates and the USA – which are of course supported by other important partners – have jointly announced that they want to open the maritime corridor, to deliver urgently needed additional quantities of humanitarian aid by sea.”
Larger ships cannot enter ports
Until now, larger ships have not been able to enter the ports in the Gaza Strip because they do not have enough draft. US President Jo Biden announced last night that a suitable temporary port would be built in Gaza. However, Washington also said that this would take several weeks.
Von der Leyen, on the other hand, is stepping on the gas: “We are now very close to opening the corridor, hopefully this Saturday or Sunday.” She is very happy “to see that a first pilot operation is starting today.” The “Open Arms”, a Spanish aid organization ship that is supposed to test the route, is moored in the port of Larnaca.
Planned maritime corridor of the EU and USA
The plan to supply the Gaza Strip by sea is supported not only by the European Commission but also by Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Cyprus, Great Britain, the USA and the Arab Emirates.
Cyprus has been trying for months to send aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip by ship. Because the ports along the Gaza Strip do not offer sufficient draft for large ships, the US military, together with international partners, wants to set up a temporary port on the coast of the Palestinian territory. Large ships loaded with relief supplies should be able to dock there. The capacity is expected to allow hundreds of additional truckloads of relief supplies per day.
There should be interim solutions until the temporary port is built. The aid deliveries could, for example, be reloaded off the coast onto smaller boats or transported to Israel or Egypt and forwarded from there.
Bring cargo to shore in small boats
Von der Leyen leaves it open where exactly the ships from Larnaca should dock. Apparently the plan is to initially bring the cargo ashore in Gaza using small boats. It is important for Israel to ensure that no weapons, ammunition or similar material reaches Hamas by sea from Cyprus.
The EU Commission President thanks the government in Nicosia for its key role. However, she has another point in mind. President Christodoulides explains that the control center also monitors traffic to and from Cyprus. “The number of migrants from Syria and Lebanon has been steadily increasing in recent months, which is extremely worrying for Cyprus.”
Worry about more refugees
In the run-up to von der Leyen’s visit, government spokesman Giannis Antoniu made it clearer on the Cypriot radio with a view to the Gaza Strip: “We have a say in this,” he emphasizes. “We say it loud and clear: we will not accept ships that bring people with them.”
The fear of even more refugees on the Mediterranean island is great. In addition, it is said in Cyprus that they do not want to support the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Ursula von der Leyen only addresses this indirectly. “You can count on us,” she said. “The maritime corridor can have a decisive influence on the flight of the Palestinian population.”
The aid supplies via the sea corridor are intended to alleviate the suffering, but also to help keep people in the Gaza Strip.
Karin Senz, ARD Istanbul, tagesschau, March 8, 2024 4:39 p.m