The situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate, and the international community is coming together to keep humanitarian aid flowing. A maritime corridor is being organized, a plan spearheaded by Cyprus, the European Commission, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and several member states. It is expected to begin operating from the Mediterranean island this Sunday. In a public update, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said, we are very close to the corridor’s opening, with a pilot operation set to launch soon in partnership with World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit founded by chef Jose Andres. The aim is to channel help collected by the organization to Gaza.
The plan faces a major obstacle: delivering aid to Gazans while bypassing Israel’s land blockade through Rafah and the Jordanian corridor, where trucks can enter only in limited numbers. Von der Leyen underscored the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with families and innocent Palestinian children urgently needing basic supplies. She spoke from Cyprus, alongside Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, who has been a leading advocate for the initiative.
The idea of creating a safe, maritime mechanism from Cyprus to Gaza is not new. President Joe Biden already signaled during his State of the Union address the intention to establish a corridor and to build a temporary port in Gaza to facilitate sea-based aid. Von der Leyen did not provide granular details, but noted that Cyprus will soon host high-level discussions to speed up this maritime channel and to supplement land and air routes, including those from Egypt and Jordan.
Cooperation with Israel will be tight. The joint statement issued by the European Commission and the nations backing the plan confirms that the efforts will be coordinated with the Israeli government. Officials acknowledge the operation will be complex but promise ongoing assessment and adjustments to maximize aid delivery. The signatories emphasize that the maritime corridor should be part of a sustained push to increase humanitarian and commercial deliveries to Gaza through all possible routes. The message reiterates cooperation with Israel to expand land deliveries and to open additional crossings that can bring more assistance to more people.
While the maritime route could make a meaningful difference, the European Union will continue pursuing all avenues to deliver aid. To date, the EU has organized 41 flights, moving about 1,800 tons of essential supplies through Egypt. The Commission confirmed that von der Leyen will travel to Egypt next Friday with a delegation that includes the president of Cyprus, the Italian president Giorgia Meloni, and Belgium’s prime minister, who holds the rotating Council presidency. The goal is to strengthen partnerships with Egypt and to explore additional opportunities to support the Palestinian population in Gaza.