Cyprus is working with partners in the European Union and the Middle East on how to establish a sea corridor to deliver a stream of vital humanitarian aid to Gaza from the island’s main port of Limassol, authorities said Tuesday.
A senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to publicly discuss details of the proposal, said the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, “wasn’t opposed” to the idea pitched by Cyprus' president Nikos Christodoulides last week.
Gaza’s humanitarian needs have escalated after the Israel-Hamas war erupted following the Palestinian militant group’s surprise October 7th attacks in Israel which left nearly 1,400 Israelis dead and at least 240 taken hostage.
Israel retaliated with a military operation that has so far left more than 8,000 Palestinians dead.
The underlying premise of Cyprus’ proposal is to have a constant flow of large quantities of assistance delivered by sea during what the official called “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting to enable aid to reach those in need.
“We want to be ready to start sending aid once a window of opportunity opens,” he said.
The official said the proposal has the support of many fellow EU member states, including Ireland, Spain, France and the Netherlands, as well as Arab nations such as Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan.
The US government and the Palestinian authority in the West Bank have also been apprised of the proposal.
Mr Christodoulides is scheduled to speak to Mr Netanyahu by phone later on Tuesday.
“Everyone recognises the need for this corridor and that it is feasible,” the official said, adding that the need for even larger quantities of aid such as medical supplies, food and clothing will be more pressing as the Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza has been stepped up.
According to the official, Israel’s paramount concern is to ensure the aid does not contain anything that Hamas could weaponise. Israel also wants to make sure the content of containers is vetted before leaving Limassol.
Cyprus is also in contact with the Palestinian authorities to determine which aid is needed the most.
The official said they are ironing out logistical details, including the key question of where the ships will dock to offload aid and which international agencies in Gaza will be tasked with distributing it.
Another issue is whether the supplies will be shipped by commercial or naval vessels.
“Cyprus is offering the geographical location, the infrastructure and the political will for this proposal to proceed,” the official said.
