UAE pledges $15 million for Cyprus-Gaza maritime aid

The United Arab Emirates announced the allocation of USD 15 million in support of the ''Amalthea Fund,'' which the Republic of Cyprus announced to support the maritime corridor initiative between Cyprus and the Gaza Strip.

The support comes following the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, an announcement by the UAE Foreign Ministry says.

The fund, it is noted, was established to facilitate and coordinate the flow of aid arriving in Gaza, and ensure that aid is delivered as effectively as possible.

“The fund also aims to strengthen the capacity for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, by providing flexible funding modalities for parties concerned with enhancing the humanitarian response to contribute to these endeavors” it is added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that the UAE’s contribution to this fund stems from its “commitment to address the worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip through this multilateral cooperative approach, which achieved a historical precedent for helping the Palestinian people before the suspension of the maritime corridor between Cyprus and the Strip.”

The Ministry also underlines the importance of immediately mitigating the “worsening catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip, and ensuring the immediate and widespread flow of aid, safely, unhindered, and sustainably delivered, through all available channels by land, air and sea.”

The Ministry also says that within the “historic commitment towards the brotherly Palestinian people,” the UAE, under continues to provide critical humanitarian aid and supplies to the Strip, and believes that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained effort to increase the urgent flow of aid and goods through all roads and mechanisms, while ensuring protection for relief workers.