Cyprus has dispatched 1,200 metric tons of humanitarian aid for Gaza by sea via Ashdod in Israel, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
A container carrying with humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, is loaded on a ship at Limassol port, Cyprus August 18, 2025. PIO/Handout via Reuters
Cyprus has dispatched 1,200 metric tons of humanitarian aid for Gaza by sea via Ashdod in Israel, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
The pre-screened cargo would be transferred without additional security checks on arrival in Ashdod and with international humanitarian organisation World Central Kitchen the final contractor and distributor, the Cyprus Foreign Ministry said.
"The entire undertaking is under the auspices of the U.N. delivery mechanism," it said.
Cyprus and Malta contributed the bulk of aid, and there were contributions from organisations from the United States, Italy, the Sovereign Order of Malta and Kuwait. Input of the United Arab Emirates to the operation was essential, Cyprus said.
The east Mediterranean island has been used to transit aid to Gaza in the past. Facilities on the island remained at the disposal of the international community as an additional humanitarian channel, the foreign ministry said.
Reporting by Michele Kambas
Israel is studying Hamas' response to a Gaza ceasefire proposal for a 60-day truce and the release of half the hostages still held in the enclave, two Israeli officials said on Tuesday, although one source reiterated that all Israeli captives must be freed for the war to end.
Thousands of Israelis took part in a nationwide strike on Sunday in support of families of hostages held in Gaza, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach an agreement with Hamas to end the war and release the remaining captives.
The U.S. State Department on Saturday said it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts "a full and thorough" review.
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