As UN
officials warn that famine looms in Gaza, the
government of Cyprus is working to raise funds to strengthen and expand a
maritime aid corridor to deliver food to civilians in need.
On
Thursday, 21 Mar, Cyprus’ government will host officials from 40 countries to
discuss the growing aid-sealift operation. "We
now see a growing international humanitarian coalition and for that we are
extremely pleased," Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos told The
National.
The
first shipment on the corridor arrived in Gaza last weekend when a tug operated
by two NGOs delivered a bargeload of supplies. The group had to build a
receiving pier out of rubble and dirt for the purpose, as Gaza has no
meaningful seaport infrastructure, but it worked for a one-time delivery of
urgently needed goods. A second, larger vessel is prepared to set sail when
approved.
Gaza has
been closed to seaborne trade since 2007, when Israel instituted a blockade of
its maritime boundaries. That blockade has been lifted for the Cypriot aid
corridor only, and Israeli officials are inspecting cargo at the port of
departure (Larnaca).
Receiving
facilities on the Gaza end will receive an upgrade soon when the U.S. military
begins a Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) operation. Five U.S. Army landing craft with floating-pier components and
equipment are on the way to Gaza now, and the Pentagon has signaled that the
temporary receiving terminal could be up and running within two months' time.
In good news for aid recipients, Minister Kombos told The National that the
JLOTS pier would likely be in operation sooner than that timeframe.
According
to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the entire population of Gaza is facing
crisis levels of food insecurity or worse. The agency said Monday 18 Mar that
famine is "imminent." WPC said that half the population of Gaza
(about 1.1 million people) are out of food and struggling with
"catastrophic hunger" or starvation. The agency noted that this is a
new record for its catastrophic-hunger category. " If we wait until famine
has been declared, it’s too late. Thousands more will be dead," said WFP
Executive Director Cindy McCain.
At an
aid conference Monday in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell blamed
Israeli border restrictions for the crisis. "In Gaza we are no longer on
the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of
people," Borrell said.
Borrell's
assertion echoes recent complaints by the UN and by aid groups, who say that
supply truck convoys have been blocked in North Gaza and have ground to a
near-halt in Rafah.
"Israel
allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone
willing to help," fired back Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
"It's time for Borrell to stop attacking Israel and recognize our right to
self-defense."