ABU DHABI - The UAE has announced the arrival of the first ship carrying 200 tonnes of food and relief supplies to the Gaza Strip. The aid was delivered via maritime corridor launched from Larnaca Port in Cyprus to Gaza in collaboration between the UAE, World Central Kitchen (WCK), and the Republic of Cyprus.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) underlined the UAE’s endeavours to mobilise efforts within the “Amalthea” maritime corridor to successfully deliver relief aid to the northern Gaza Strip. The Ministry commended the vital efforts of the leadership of Cyprus, World Central Kitchen, and international partners to strengthen the humanitarian response to civilians of northern Gaza.

Furthermore, the Ministry affirmed that the exacerbating humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip requires adopting a collective international approach to immediately mitigate harm to innocent civilians, by ensuring urgent, safe, unhindered, and sustainable delivery of aid.

The Ministry reaffirmed that the maritime corridor is part of a sustained and dedicated effort to increase the flow of humanitarian aid and commercial commodities through all possible routes.

As part of its unwavering commitment to the brotherly Palestinian people and efforts to implement humanitarian initiatives aimed at providing relief, the UAE has delivered 21,000 tonnes of urgent supplies, including food, water, and medical items. The country dispatched through 213 flights, 8 airdrops, 946 trucks, and two ships. The UAE has also inaugurated a number of sustainable relief projects, and provided medical care to civilians from Gaza by establishing a field hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, in addition to a floating hospital anchored in Egypt’s Al-Arish Port.