Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Thursday that Cyprus’ initiative for a maritime humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza, called “Amalthea” continues as normal.
Speaking to journalists during a media briefing at the Presidential Palace, Letymbiotis noted that the operation of the temporary floating jetty, which was built by the US, has created the right conditions for the arrival and receipt of an increased volume of humanitarian aid in Gaza, adding that, approximately 14,000 pallets of humanitarian aid have arrived in Cyprus and 4,134 have already been sent based on the procedures for a secure control and departure mechanism of the Amalthea Plan.
The Spokesperson said that more than 2,000 pallets have already been transported and unloaded on the shores of Gaza, while around 2,000 have been received for storage and distribution to the civilian population by humanitarian contractors operating in the Gaza Strip. In total, he noted, 11 itineraries have been carried out by suitable vessel
s and more are expected in the near future.
Furthermore, he said that during the day the French ship ‘La Roire’ is expected to depart carrying 150 pallets of humanitarian aid, while early next week a US ship is expected to depart carrying more than 3,000 tons of aid.
Based on estimates, he said, the aid delivered and distributed so far is enough to feed tens of thousands of civilians for one month, while the target of being able to provide humanitarian aid to 500,000 civilians per month remains achievable.
The Spokesperson said that, so far, the aid mainly concerns food, but noted that personal hygiene items, temporary shelters and medical care are part of the quantities sent for sea transport. The amount of the aid sent exceeds one million dollars, he added.
“Additional aid from partners and interested parties is expected to arrive in Cyprus with the aim of transiting it to the civilian population of Gaza, based on the Amalthea Plan,” he noted.
Letymbiotis said that the Republic of Cyprus’ Amalthea init
iative, the maritime corridor for the provision of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza, “continues as normal”.
The Republic of Cyprus, he added, continues all procedures with the competent services and the partners involved, through a multinational coordination made possible thanks to the leadership that Cyprus has undertaken in the region.
These procedures, he explained, include transport, control, inspection, loading and transfer to either a temporary secure storage or a suitable floating storage off Gaza.
“As it has been demonstrated in practice, the operation of the temporary floating jetty, which was built by the US, has created the right conditions for the arrival and receipt of an increased volume of humanitarian aid in Gaza,” he noted.
Planning continues as normal, he said, “so that the Amalthea plan will fulfill its objective which is to increase the volume of maritime humanitarian aid as an additional transit route.”
Asked if the “Amalthea” project is affected by the development
s in relation to the port of Larnaca, the Spokesperson said that it is not affected at all.
Asked how aid will be provided since the US jetty is facing a problem, the Spokesperson said that the floating dock has the possibility of a storage of humanitarian cargo.
He said that adverse weather conditions have slowed down the unloading of humanitarian cargoes but stressed that in no case has the operation been suspended.
Letymbiotis noted that the information from the United States is that within the next few days, possibly the middle of next week, the pier should be able to receive humanitarian cargo again.
He underlined that the transport and storage of humanitarian aid has not stopped.
Replying to another question, he said that the information from the competent partners who distribute the humanitarian aid, is that a large part of the aid corresponding to the provision of aid and necessary food for tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza for a month has already been distributed.
He added that all aspects
should be taken into account and especially security, noting that it is a complex process. This process, he said, is being intensified and accelerated every day.
Meanwhile, according to information, up until today, the Republic of Cyprus has received humanitarian aid for Gaza from the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, Romania, Italy, the European Civil Protection Mechanism, the World Food Organization and the International Organization for Migration. Among others, Japan and Singapore have expressed interest while several EU Member States have expressed their intention to send aid.
Finally, discussions are underway for new contributions from Romania, Slovakia, and Belgium, according to the same sources.
Source: Cyprus News Agency