Pushing its geographical position and excellent long standing relations with both Arab countries and Israel, Cyprus is leading efforts in the region to establish unhindered humanitarian aid to Gaza and alleviating the dire situation faced by more than a million Palestinians, who have little access to water and electricity, their hospitals are failing and face danger of diseases.
President Christodoulides told reporters that the Republic was engaging in a diplomatic effort within the framework of its capabilities in order to ensure this unhindered aid, disclosing that he spoke on the phone briefly with the King of Jordan, as one of the major players with direct borders to the conflict and hosting millions of Palestinians for more than half a century.
Taking into account, the President noted, that Cyprus is the closest EU member to the region, it is significant to proceed with such an initiative, supported both by European Commission President Ursula Von Der Layen and French President Emmanuel Macron.
‘We’re working on the details and logistics of implementation and it seems that the crisis will be with us for some time, so we need to be ready’, he added, and move with action as soon as conditions allow a maritime corridor into Gaza.
Asked whether any discussion is on-going with Israel in achieving a humanitarian ceasefire, President Christodoulides said that Prime Minister Netanyahu himself was in favour of the initiative. ‘The details we are working on concern how humanitarian aid will be carried and particularly how it will reach Gaza as no ships can approach the area around the city’, Christodoulides noted.
The aid, he further added, should be received and distributed by the UN, not Hamas.
