Gaza aid ship yet to leave Cyprus
An aid ship expected to depart for Gaza on Sunday remains in Cyprus.
The ship is loaded with humanitarian aid, as food and water are scarce and there are fears Gaza’s population is on the brink of famine, and children are starving to death.
The ship will hopefully set sail soon, says the charity leading the mission, describing the current situation as “quickly evolving and fluid.”
It is carrying 200 tonnes of food, including rice, flour and cans of meat and fish, sourced by US charity World Central Kitchen (WCK).
It is expected to take about two days to reach an undisclosed location off the coast of Gaza, using a new sea route the EU said would be opened over the weekend.
The ship belongs to the Spanish charity of the same name, Open Arms.
Many had hoped that a ceasefire had been negotiated by now but talks between Israel and Hamas have largely stalled.
Sunday marked the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in Gaza.
US President Joe Biden has issued a Ramadan message, saying the suffering of Palestinians would be in his “front of mind” as Ramadan arrived at “a moment of immense pain.”
