US aid group ‘unloading’ food barge in Gaza

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories – AFP

A United States charity said on Friday it was unloading the first shipment of food aid sent via a maritime corridor from Cyprus to war-ravaged Gaza.

“World Central Kitchen is unloading the barge connected now to the jetty,” said Linda Roth, a spokesperson for the group.

The Israeli military confirmed that the vessel, the Open Arms, had arrived in Gazan waters and said Israeli troops had “been deployed to secure the area”.

“The vessel underwent a comprehensive security inspection,” the military said.

“The ship contained 130 pallets of humanitarian equipment, 115 tons of food and water, which were transferred to 12 WCK trucks, which will distribute them to the northern Gaza Strip,” it said.

Open Arms, the Spanish charity that operates the vessel, earlier said it had been towing a barge loaded with 200 tonnes of food for Gazans threatened with famine after more than five months of Israeli attacks.

“The coordinated entry of humanitarian aid was carried out in accordance with the agreement with the civilian company,” the Israeli military said.

“It is important to emphasise that the delivery of humanitarian aid does not breach the maritime security blockade.”

Israel has imposed a long-running blockade of the territory.

With insufficient aid trucks entering by road, efforts have multiplied to get relief into Gaza by air and sea.

Cyprus, the nearest European Union member country to Gaza, has said a second, bigger vessel is being readied for the fledgling maritime aid corridor after the Open Arms completes its mission.