UAE And Cyprus Collaborate On Ensuring Humanitarian Aid Reaches Gaza

In a significant diplomatic engagement, Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, held discussions with Cypriot officials to address the pressing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. The talks, which took place in the Republic of Cyprus, focused on enhancing the delivery of urgent relief aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza amidst challenges posed by the suspension of the maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza due to Israeli actions that compromise the safety of relief efforts.

Al Hashimy's meetings with Marilena Raouna, Minister of State for European Affairs in Cyprus, and Andreas Antoniades, Accountant General of the Ministry of Treasury, revolved around reinforcing the existing channels and mechanisms for humanitarian aid. This comes in the wake of an incident on April 2, 2024, where a convoy from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) was targeted, leading to a halt in relief operations within the Maritime Corridor Initiative. Launched on March 8, this initiative had garnered widespread support from international entities including the United States and the European Commission, aiming to facilitate additional aid via sea routes.

During her discussions, Al Hashimy emphasized the critical need for a continued international cooperative effort to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. She highlighted the urgency of ensuring an immediate and unhindered flow of aid through all possible channels—land, air, and sea—to prevent further harm to innocent civilians. The importance of opening more routes for transporting aid and intensifying efforts to alleviate human suffering in Gaza was also underscored.

Both Emirati and Cypriot representatives reiterated their condemnation of violence against humanitarian workers and stressed the importance of Israel providing credible investigation findings into such incidents. They called for assurances from Israeli authorities to prevent recurrence of such acts to facilitate future resumption of operations in the maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza.

The discussions further underscored Israel's obligation under international humanitarian law to secure humanitarian efforts and ensure the safety and protection of relief workers. Al Hashimy reaffirmed the UAE's steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people in Gaza during these challenging times. She stressed that any decision to resume operations in the maritime corridor would require thorough review considering the current lack of safety guarantees for aid workers.

This dialogue underscores a pivotal moment in international efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, highlighting the critical role of multilateral cooperation and adherence to international laws in ensuring effective delivery of aid to those in dire need.

With inputs from WAM