Israel has already prepared to allow ships to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip “immediately”, as part of a proposed maritime corridor from Cyprus, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Sunday (31), citing four European countries as possible participants.
Under the deal first suggested in Nicosia in November, the cargo would undergo a security inspection at the Cypriot port of Larnaca before being transported to the Gaza coast, 370 km away, rather than passing through neighboring Egypt or Israel.
Israel has described the corridor as a way to end its civil ties with Gaza, where it has been waging a 12-week offensive in retaliation for an invasion by Hamas gunmen who crossed the border.
With hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians displaced, the idea could also contribute to compliance with a December 22 UN Security Council resolution calling for more humanitarian relief mechanisms.
He stated that the United Kingdom, France, Greece and the Netherlands are some of the countries with ships that can land directly on the coast of Gaza, which does not have a deep-water port. He seemed to suggest that he expects them to do that rather than dump aid on Israel.
There was no response from London, Paris, Athens or Amsterdam at first.
See also: Netanyahu says Israel's war against Hamas will last months
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
