Ship loaded with aid for Gaza ready to set sail from Cyprus
- Ship belonging to Spanish aid group Open Arms is loaded with 200 tonnes of aid
- The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been worsening dramatically for weeks
The Open Arms rescue ship of the eponymous Spanish aid organisation is fully loaded with humanitarian supplies for Gaza and can imminently depart from the Cypriot port of Larnaca, officials said on Sunday.
The 37-metre-long converted tugboat, carrying around 200 tonnes of drinking water, medicines and food, should weigh anchor by Sunday evening at the latest, the island’s government said.
Von der Leyen had previously inspected the facilities in the port, which the EU island republic has made available for aid deliveries from various countries and organisations.
Larnaca is around 400km away from Gaza and the voyage carries risks, including strong winds that often blow in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Open Arms will pull a platform behind it loaded with the bulk of the relief supplies, according to Cypriot media.