An Open Arms vessel advances toward the Gaza Strip coast, visible on several ship-tracking platforms as the first such arrival after more than five months of war and siege. The Palestinian population in the enclave expects a maritime flow of humanitarian relief, with about 200 metric tons of non-perishable food donated by World Central Kitchen (WCK), the charity led by Spanish chef José Andrés, anticipated to reach Gaza on Thursday to help ease severe hunger affecting all residents. Meanwhile, a second vessel docked in Cyprus is being loaded with an additional 300 tons of aid and is poised to follow Open Arms’ route once details of its departure are confirmed, as Gaza’s toll of dead since the offensive began climbs past 31,000.
Two days earlier, Open Arms had departed from the Cypriot port of Larnaca toward Gaza, marking the first international ship to enter this humanitarian corridor. At a distance of 215 nautical miles from Gaza’s coast, the journey was expected to take roughly 50 hours. This maritime aid corridor, initiated by Cyprus, has earned support from the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Washington is also backing the build-out of a floating pier to deliver relief, a project projected to take several weeks to become operational and relying on a thousand soldiers’ labor. In response to the critical humanitarian needs in Gaza, organizations like WCK have joined this alternative mode of delivery.
The Open Arms is thus the first ship authorized to bring aid directly to Gaza since 2005, according to remarks from Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission. If this pilot succeeds, the European Union would coordinate with smaller vessels until the U.S. military completes the floating pier near Gaza’s coast. WCK has announced on its X account that a crew is constructing a dock to unload the shipment, funded by the organization itself. Israel’s military said that it was preparing to meet the Open Arms as it tows the barge carrying flour, rice, and protein. Aid deliveries are being carried out in coordination with civilian and security authorities in Israel, following directives from the Government of Israel and at the request of the U.S. government.
When the vessel comes within about 20 nautical miles of Gaza’s coast, the Israeli Navy will inspect it at sea, according to local reporting. It will then be escorted by both the Navy and the Air Force toward Gaza’s coast. At a designated point, an Israeli ship will tow the aid to the improvised temporary pier near the center of the Gaza Strip so that WCK personnel can distribute it to the northern, hardest-hit areas. José Andrés celebrated the moment on his X account as the Open Arms set sail, saying, “We can bring millions of meals a day; the people in the north will be fed,” and adding that the Ramadán moment should be seen as a hopeful sign for peace in the Middle East. The WCK founder also noted the broader vision behind this effort.
Amid ongoing bombardments of the Gaza Strip, including the aid collection points, Israel has stated it will “flood” Gaza with humanitarian relief. A military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, said, “We are trying to flood the area with humanitarian aid.” He argued that the approach aims to create multiple pathways for access, as critics accuse Israeli authorities of hindering aid entry and complicating distribution by destroying infrastructure and targeting police responsible for convoy security. On a day prior, reports indicated that at least 112 Palestinians were killed during a March 1 aid delivery.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has joined the push to “flood” Gaza with aid, describing the maritime corridor as a supplement rather than a substitute for other channels. He emphasized that land routes remain the most critical means of delivering relief. U.S. officials also noted that aid through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings has returned to levels seen in recent weeks, approximately 200 trucks per day, contrasting with pre-war levels of around 500 trucks per day into Gaza. The evolving humanitarian landscape highlights the urgent need for multiple, reliable delivery routes to reach those in need in Gaza, even as the region faces ongoing conflict and disruption of basic services.