Foreign minister discusses Amalthea Gaza aid with UN coordinator

The next steps regarding the Amalthea initiative, the corridor for transporting humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Gaza, was discussed in Brussels between Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and UN coordinator for humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of Gaza Sigrid Kaag.

The foreign ministry said humanitarian aid to Gaza needed to be increased via all routes and means.

A foreign ministry post on X said Kombos and Kaag met on the sidelines of the EU foreign affairs council and discussed the next steps on Amalthea.

“Foreign Minister @CKombos met with UN Senior Humanitarian/Reconstruction Coordinator Sigrid Kaag in the margins of the informal Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Next steps on #Amalthea discussed,” the post said.

“FM Kombos reiterated Cyprus’ full support for Ms Kaag’s mandate, and thanked her and the UN 2720 team for the very close cooperation and coordination.”

“The message is clear: Humanitarian assistance to Gaza needs to be greatly increased via all routes and means, by land, air and sea,” it said.

Meanwhile, press reports said aid sent by international organisations was being unloaded at Ashdod and was to be transported to the Gaza Strip.

Commenting on the reports, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Cyprus continued to contribute in every way to easing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He confirmed a report by The Times of Israel website that thousands of palettes of humanitarian aid were being sent to Gaza from Cyprus via Ashdod, using the Amalthea corridor.

The operation continues in cooperation with the involved partners and in the framework of the UN 2720 mechanism.

Letymbiotis said 3,500 palettes were on their way and that the next steps were discussed between Kombos and Kaag.

The Times of Israel reported that “Israel’s civilian coordination agency for the Palestinian territories, COGAT, says 3,577 humanitarian aid pallets sent by international organisations have begun unloading at the Port of Ashdod before their transfer to the Gaza Strip.”

It added that “the deliveries traveled from Cyprus, utilising a maritime corridor to the Gaza Strip established with Israel, COGAT says.”

“Following a security inspection, the aid will enter Gaza,” the website added.

“COGAT adds that since the corridor opened in March, 10,700 pallets of food, water and medical supplies have been delivered, carried by 750 trucks,” The Times of Israel said.