Cyprus and Israel are working to establish a humanitarian corridor between the island nation and the Gaza Strip, to ensure that necessary aid reaches the residents of Gaza from around the world, Israel Hayom has learned.
If established, the corridor will replace the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings so that civilian supplies will no longer be transferred through Israel, both during and after the war.
Video: Israel exposes Hamas network beneath and next to Gaza's hospitals / Credit: Reuters
The proposal to establish a humanitarian corridor was initiated by the Cypriots and is being discussed today in a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries, Eli Cohen and Dr. Constantinos Kombos, who came to Israel for a solidarity meeting. They agreed to form working groups to thoroughly examine the initiative ahead of future implementation.
Under the proposal, Cyprus will allocate a designated area in the Larnaca Port region where all humanitarian supplies to Gaza, such as water, food, and medicine, will be diverted to.
Once inspected by Israel, these products will be delivered to the Gaza Strip although it is not yet clear where in the Strip the vessels will dock.
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Among the proposed options are: receiving the cargo at the small port in Gaza; unloading the cargo on the beach; or transferring the cargo to the El-Arish port in Egypt before arriving at its destination.
Earlier this week, senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, IDF, Shin Bet security agency, and other entities held discussions to examine the various aspects of the proposal, which could address the humanitarian issue but has a very complex implementation.
A diplomatic source told Israel Hayom that "the Cypriot proposal is a welcome development, but we need to discuss its various components to ensure that the corridor is secure both in terms of security and that the aid ultimately reaches the right hands within the Gaza Strip."
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