First aid ship “Open Arms” brings goods from Cyprus to Gaza

After a delay of several days, the aid ship “Open Arms” left Cyprus for Gaza. There are around 200 tons of relief supplies on board. The trip is considered a test run for an auxiliary corridor.

There was relieved applause when it finally got underway and the “Open Arms” left the quay in the port of Larnaka after several days of delay. The US aid organization World Central Kitchen shared the video on platform X. The ship has a floating ship in tow Plateau with relief supplies.

Ship has to travel 400 kilometers

Juan Camilo, an employee of World Central Kitchen, promises that 200 tons of food, water and medicine will be transported to Gaza: “Behind me is the Open Arms, the World Central Kitchen ship with 200 tons of relief supplies for the people of Gaza. Today is a historic moment. The ship will reach the coast of Gaza in the next few days.”

The trip to the coast of Gaza, around 400 kilometers away, is seen as a test run for an aid corridor. Further relief supplies are already said to be ready at the port of Larnaca, although it is still unclear how the cargo will get to land.

Riding across the open sea is risky

Cypriot President Christodoulidis and his Foreign Minister expressed their delight at the end of the “Open Arms”. A journey of hope and humanity has begun, both wrote on X.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also spoke in the European Parliament about how the aid corridor should proceed: “The USA will now work on setting up a floating port to unload large ships; until this is finished, we will have smaller ships “The United Arab Emirates and other partners will co-finance the cargo. Cyprus will manage the departure from the port of Larnaca. And we, the EU, will strengthen our logistical support on the ground.”

However, traveling across the open sea with the platform is risky. To protect against the swell, the “Open Arms” pulls the platform closely alongside it. The spokesman for the Cypriot Foreign Ministry was extremely cautious at a press conference at midday: “We have to be patient until the ship arrives. Then we’ll see what happens next.”

The opening date of the corridor is not yet known

The hope among the aid organizations involved in the port of Larnaka is still high. “We hope that this will be the first of many boats that will go to Gaza with relief supplies. Because we at World Central Kitchen know that we need as many ways as possible to bring aid to Gaza,” says Juan Camilo.

However, the EU and the Cypriot government have not yet provided any information on how quickly the announced aid corridor could actually open and how many of the urgently needed aid supplies can be transported in this way.