Ship loaded with aid for Gaza ready to set sail from Cyprus

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 tons 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.

It is unclear where and how the ship will unload its cargo once it arrives off the coast of Gaza. Only a small fishing harbour is available for unloading, but it is not deep enough for cargo ships.

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The humanitarian situation of the Palestinian population in Gaza has been worsening dramatically for weeks, with a critical shortage of basic necessities.

More than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side and some 240 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza. Israel responded with massive air strikes and a ground offensive.

According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza, more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed since the start of the war.