Waiting for distribution

Aid ship “Open Arms” reaches Gaza

Palestinian men watch as the ship "Open Arms", which set sail from Larnaca in Cyprus with humanitarian aid, approaches the coast of Gaza City.(Bild: AFP)

The first ship carrying aid supplies to the war-torn Palestinians in the Gaza Strip via a new sea corridor set sail from Cyprus on March 12. On Friday, the "Open Arms" arrived safely at its destination 400 kilometers away after a journey of almost three days.

The ship with 200 tons of food on board had made its way at three knots per hour - that's only around 5.5 km/h. The journey is considered a test run along the route of a planned aid corridor.

Residents of the Gaza Strip have already gathered on the shore to wait for the aid supplies. It was not initially known when the ship could be unloaded.

The current situation of the "Open Arms" at 11.45 a.m. on Friday.(Bild: marinetraffic.com)

Palestinian men watch as the ship "Open Arms", which set sail from Larnaca in Cyprus with humanitarian aid, approaches the coast of Gaza City on March 15, 2024.(Bild: AFP)

"We hope to unload the aid as soon as we can dock, but there are many factors involved in this complicated operation," WCK President Erin Gore said.

A WCK team in the Gaza Strip has been building a floating dock for several days. The ship has reportedly loaded 300,000 meals, including rice, flour and canned food.

The "Open Arms" set sail from the port of Larnaca on Cyprus on Tuesday. Israeli authorities had previously inspected the cargo there. At the same time, international aid is being airdropped into the war zone. According to the UN, however, support by sea and air is no substitute for aid by land.

Famine looms
The humanitarian situation of the people in the Gaza Strip has been worsening dramatically for weeks. The most basic necessities are lacking. The Gaza war was triggered by a massacre carried out by terrorists from the militant Palestinian organization Hamas and other extremist groups in southern Israel on 7 October.