in-cyprus 18 December 2023
The “Amalthea” project, aiming to create a humanitarian corridor to Gaza through Cyprus, has been reportedly initiated, with a British vessel specially equipped to approach the shores of Gaza already en route to the region, carrying 80 tons of humanitarian aid.
Experts from Israel conducted necessary checks last week, giving the green light for loading and transporting aid to Gaza.
Following the agreement among Cyprus, the United Kingdom, and Israel, the implementation of humanitarian aid transfer commenced.
The first mission is considered a pilot, and subsequent actions will depend on its outcome. Announcements related to this initiative are expected from London and Nicosia within the day.
In an interview with Euronews last Friday, President Christodoulides stated, “The British already have a ship in Cyprus that does not require special infrastructure in the port of Gaza, which is damaged. It can immediately transport humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
He also mentioned the presence of the Israeli team in Cyprus last week, emphasizing their assessment of the ground situation, humanitarian aid locations, control mechanisms, and the proposed delivery to Gaza.
According to President Christodoulides, another Israeli team from various services is expected within the week. He highlighted the readiness observed from the UK side to assist in establishing this humanitarian corridor.
The President underscored the availability of humanitarian aid beyond the Republic of Cyprus and from the UK. He confirmed the offer of a ship capable, as of current data, of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, pending the green light from Israel.
President Christodoulides explained that the two Israeli teams arrived in Cyprus after coordination with Prime Minister Netanyahu, aiming to witness the readiness of the Republic of Cyprus to address their primary concern—security—and facilitate the transfer to Gaza.
In yesterday’s statements, the President announced forthcoming actions, reiterating preparedness and the imminent dispatch of humanitarian aid once approval is received from Israel.
“The situation is tragic, especially for civilians, and I believe much more needs to be done to protect them. There is no justification for killing civilian populations, and our approach is to provide uninterrupted humanitarian aid,” stated the President.
Expressing disagreement once again over the Brussels Summit’s failure to reach a resolution on the Middle East issue, he emphasized the need for a proactive role in the region.
President Christodoulides stressed the importance of discussing and establishing a framework and basic principles, fearing a recurrence or continuation of the current situation if not addressed.
