Gaza-Bound Ship With 1,200 Tons Of Food Stuck Off Israeli Coast For Over 48 Hours

A ship carrying 1,200 tons of food aid for Gaza has been left circling off Israel’s coast for more than 48 hours, despite an urgent need for relief in the territory where famine is feared to be imminent.

The vessel, Henke, a Panama-flagged cargo ship owned and managed by a Turkish company, had departed from the Cypriot port of Limassol on August 18. It was scheduled to dock at Ashdod port on Tuesday evening, but by Thursday night was still sailing in circles off northern Israel at about 5 knots, according to tracking data.

The ship is loaded with 52 containers of aid, including pasta, rice, canned food, and baby supplies. The relief is being sent under the UN-led delivery mechanism (UN-2720), with World Central Kitchen designated as the final distributor inside Gaza.

Cyprus coordinated the mission under its Amalthea humanitarian plan. Out of the 1,200 tons, about 700 tons came from Cyprus, funded through donations made by the United Arab Emirates. The Maltese government, Italy, a Catholic religious order in Malta, Kuwait’s Al Salam Association, and U.S.-based humanitarian groups contributed the rest.

The Government of Cyprus said its facilities would continue to serve as a secure hub for collecting, screening, and dispatching humanitarian cargo to Gaza.

Although Israeli customs had already inspected the containers in Limassol, Cyprus said its agreement with Israel allowed the cargo to pass through Ashdod without further checks. It remains unclear why the vessel has not been allowed to dock as planned.

The United Nations has warned that malnutrition and starvation in Gaza are at their worst levels since the war began in October 2023, following the Hamas-led attack in Israel that killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos described the situation in Gaza as “beyond dire” and stressed that contributions from all involved were crucial. UN humanitarian chief Jorge Moreira da Silva also called the shipment a “crucial step” toward alleviating suffering, while urging for a rapid, unhindered, and safe flow of aid to civilians.

This week, Hamas said it had accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators, though Israel has not approved it. Instead, Israeli leaders have announced plans to intensify military operations in Gaza City and other urban areas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected reports of widespread starvation in Gaza, dismissing them as “lies” spread by Hamas. However, the UN and independent experts maintain that hunger levels are at emergency levels.

The Gaza Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run administration but staffed by medical professionals, reported that more than 62,000 people have been killed in the 22-month war, with women and children making up around half the deaths.

Reference: AP News

Source: Maritime Shipping News