The US State Department expressed its approval of Nicosia’s suggestion to create a maritime corridor to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Asked if US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the possible creation of a maritime corridor during his meeting with President Christodoulides on Sunday and if the idea is supported by the US, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson said the US “use a number of methods, including trucks and overland routes, as well as aeroplanes and helicopters”.

He added, “We certainly have broadly felt that the provision of aid and any country’s ability to do so to the Palestinian people in Gaza would be a good thing”.

Cyprus, the closest EU member state to Gaza, has put forward an idea to get more aid into Gaza via a maritime corridor.

It would expand the limited capacities beyond the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, but the concept is tricky, diplomatic sources told Reuters.

Israeli officials would also want to check all goods coming from Limassol port in Cyprus, the diplomats said.

Who would receive the aid would also need to be clarified as there are concerns it could fall into Hamas’ hands, two diplomats said. Israel would also want to vet what aid was going into Gaza and opposes supplying badly needed fuel to the enclave, they said.

There are also technical issues. Port infrastructure off Gaza was started in 2016 but has since been abandoned.

“Gaza doesn’t have a harbour fit for such purpose,” said a senior EU official. “It would require building a floating marina by a country with proper navy experience.”

Should it even go ahead, the mission’s safety would need to be ensured and would be likely to need a pause in fighting.

Cyprus is approximately 370 km northwest of Gaza at its closest point.

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