Cyprus aid corridor not enough for Gaza, UN warns

The Cyprus maritime corridor provides for additionality of humanitarian aid to Gaza, but can never be a substitute for delivery by land, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag said briefing the UN Security Council on the situation in the region on Thursday.

In the last few months Kaag said she discussed detailed proposals with the Governments of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus, to accelerate and streamline the delivery of goods into Gaza and to ensure a consistent pipeline of goods for safe distributed across Gaza.

Regarding Cyprus, she said that "the Cyprus maritime corridor provides for additionality of humanitarian aid to Gaza. It can never be a substitute for delivery by land. Land routes are the only way to bring in the bulk of supplies needed."

"Preparations for building the floating port and pier on the shores of Gaza are advancing, with the involvement of the US and other Member States. The UN has outlined the parameters under which it can play a meaningful role in the distribution of aid via this corridor," the UN official noted.

My office, she added, "has proposed a multi-donor funding mechanism and provides secretariat support to the maritime corridor to ensure full coordination with the operations on the ground in Gaza. UN monitors have been deployed to Cyprus as part of the 2720 Mechanism."

According to Sigrid Kaag UNRWA is pivotal in providing life-saving humanitarian aid and essential social services, particularly in health and education, to Palestine refugees. "As such, UNRWA is irreplaceable and indispensable as a humanitarian lifeline and must be allowed to deliver on its mandate" she said.