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In a joint statement, the European Commission, Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and the United Kingdom have announced the activation of a maritime corridor to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with Palestinian families and children facing desperate conditions. To address this, the coalition of nations has committed to opening a maritime route to deliver crucial humanitarian aid.
Cyprus's leadership in establishing the Amalthea Initiative, outlining a secure mechanism for aid delivery from Cyprus to Gaza via sea, has been instrumental in enabling this collective effort to create a maritime corridor. The participating states aim to build upon this model to provide additional significant aid by sea, coordinating closely with the UN's Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, Sigrid Kaag.
The United Arab Emirates' active involvement will result in the first shipment of food by sea to Gaza's population. Cyprus will soon convene a meeting of senior officials to discuss accelerating the establishment of this maritime support channel, complementing existing land and air routes, including those from Egypt and Jordan.
The United States has announced an urgent operation led by its armed forces to create a temporary dock in Gaza, in coordination with humanitarian partners and other countries, facilitating the delivery of substantial aid by sea. These efforts will be closely coordinated with the Israeli government.
Direct maritime humanitarian aid to Gaza will be complex, and the coalition states will continue to evaluate and adapt their efforts to ensure the most effective delivery of assistance possible.
The maritime corridor can and should be part of a sustainable effort to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza through all possible channels. Collaboration with Israel will continue to expand land deliveries, insisting on facilitating more passages and opening additional crossing points to transport aid to more people. It is affirmed that protecting the lives of civilians is a fundamental principle of international humanitarian law that must be respected.
Together, concerted action is required to ensure that aid reaches those in desperate need.
