An announcement published by the Cyprus employers’ and industrialists’ federation (Oev) on Friday gave strong indications of an imminent shipping of aid to Gaza from Cyprus as part of the Amalthea plan.
Oev said they had been informed by the foreign ministry that a shipment of aid was being prepared, and that in this context, they were calling on Cypriot companies to send basic food items, including dried food, rice, and pastas and perishable medicines to the Larnaca port.
They said the aid “must be delivered to the Larnaca port by Monday, April 29”, or in exceptional circumstances by Tuesday morning at the absolute latest.
They added that the Amalthea plan – the name given to Cyprus’ seaborne humanitarian aid corridor to Gaza – has “a great political meaning for our country”.
In addition to the announcement, Oev also published a set of instructions regarding the size and weight of pallets, as well as stipulating that pallets must be able to be loaded and unloaded by crane.
This set of instructions made specific reference to the floating jetty which was being constructed by the United States off the coast of Gaza, suggesting that the jetty’s construction has either been completed or is very close to completion.
The jetty’s potential placement has been a cause for concern among some quarters in recent days, with British newspaper The Guardian having reported on Wednesday that the jetty’s placement may be too far south to help alleviate the “very high” risk of famine in the northern part of Gaza.
The north of Gaza, including Gaza City, has been effectively cut off from the rest of the strip by a military road constructed by the Israeli Defence Force which connects Israel with Gaza’s coast, known as the Netzarim corridor.
As such, if the jetty is placed south of the Netzarim corridor, any aid sent towards Gaza City and the rest of the north of the strip will still have to pass through an IDF checkpoint. This would arguably defeat the point of shipping the aid directly to Gaza.
The United States agency for international development (USAid) said on Thursday that the maritime corridor is “proceeding on schedule”.
“All the necessary vessels are in the Mediterranean region and standing by,” a spokesperson said.
The Cyprus Mail attempted to contact both Oev and the foreign ministry for comment.
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