Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides will join world leaders in Paris on Thursday to coordinate aid and help for the wounded in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
The international conference will also focus on Cyprus’ proposal to get more aid into Gaza via a maritime corridor.
Cyprus – the closest EU member state to Gaza – has proposed the expansion of the limited capacities beyond the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
A month after the October 7 attack by Hamas Islamists that killed 1,400 people in Israel, concern is growing over civilian casualties that have soared under Israel’ harsh retaliatory bombardments, with more than 10,000 Palestinians killed. And many more wounded and forced to flee their homes.
The international conference will also focus on possible naval medical facilities and field hospitals.
The conference brings together regional stakeholders such as Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf Arab countries as well as Western powers and G20 members – excluding Russia.
International institutions and non-governmental organisations operating in Gaza are also due to attend.
The Palestinian Authority will be present but Israel has not been invited, although it will be kept informed of the developments.
The broad aim is to mobilise financial resources and find ways to get aid into the enclave, while also getting those seriously wounded out given Gaza’s medical infrastructure is fast collapsing.
Israeli officials would also want to check all goods coming from Limassol port in Cyprus, according to insiders.
