Europa Press |

Efe Madrid

Madrid

Updated Sunday, March 10, 2024-16:59

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The Spanish ship 'Open Arms' will finally depart on Monday

from the Cypriot port of Larnaca

towards the Gaza Strip with some 150 tons of humanitarian aid, as reported by the Cypriot authorities.

The boat will not leave before tomorrow, according to what

Linda Roth

, from the communications team at World Central Kitchen, an NGO founded by the renowned Spanish chef

José Andrés

, and which is responsible for this operation together with Open Arms, told EFE.

"We are waiting for

all the appropriate circumstances

to occur ," said this source.

The Cypriot president, Nikos Christodoulides, has explained that the time depends on the

final approval of the Israeli authorities

, who verify the ship's cargo, as well as issues related to security.

Christodoulides highlighted that they have already received several calls from heads of state and government of

other countries to express their desire to participate

in the humanitarian corridor initiative.

The president highlighted that Cyprus, as a member of the EU, has "excellent relations" with all neighboring countries that allow it to contribute to this situation.

"I believe that (the maritime humanitarian corridor) demonstrates that our country can be a

pillar of security and stability

in the Eastern Mediterranean region, a region of particular geostrategic importance, always with modesty and humility," he indicated in statements collected by the Cypriot news agency CNA.

The 'Open Arms' trip is the first of the so-called

Operation Amalthea that aims to establish a maritime humanitarian corridor

between Cyprus and the Palestinian enclave.

Amalthea, which means Tenderness, is the name of the wet nurse of the god Zeus in Greek mythology.

The route from Cyprus to Gaza is about 210 nautical miles (about

388 kilometers

), a distance that takes about 25 hours to travel under normal conditions.

The 'Open Arms' is expected to take around 50 hours on the journey.

The humanitarian vessel will also tow the MMS Aris cargo platform and will have

the support of the US military ship

'USS Gen. Frank S. Besson' LSV-1, which departed from Virginia to reinforce the humanitarian aid delivery campaign to the Strip. Loop.

The ship is specialized in logistical support to operate far from land bases and

transports material for the construction of a temporary dock

to facilitate the landing of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

On Friday, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, confirmed through his spokesperson, Stefan Dujarric, that the coordinator for

humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaz

a, Sigrid Kaag, is already working with Cyprus to launch the humanitarian corridor.