The Open Arms cargo ship out of Cyprus docked in Gaza on Friday morning, delivering 200 tons of food for the millions of residents left displaced and in dire need of aid five months into the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Open Arms vessel, named after the Spanish charity that moved the shipment, towed a barge containing rice, flour, and protein to civilians of Gaza are "one step away" from famine, according to the United Nations.
The supplies were pulled together by World Central Kitchen, a charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés.
"We have a boat filled with nearly 200 tons of food and a team in Cyprus ready to make the first maritime delivery of aid to Gaza," Andrés and the charity's CEO Erin Gore said in a statement. "We have another 500 tons of food in Cyprus and more ships to set sail. Our goal is to establish a maritime highway of boats and barges stocked with millions of meals continuously headed towards Gaza."
Andrés wrote on X on Friday: "So far 2 crates already delivered from the barge. But still more to do."
The humanitarian effort in the waters off Gaza comes as traditional shipping routes via trucks and roads have proved difficult to access. Having to maneuver through the city of Rafah and its border with Egypt, many attempts to bring aid have come under fire from the intense fighting in the region as well as looting.
The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed they have assisted with securing the new maritime delivery routes.
"The ship contained 130 pallets of humanitarian equipment and 115 tons of food and water, that were transferred to 12 WCK trucks, which will distribute them to northern Gaza. The vessels and goods underwent comprehensive security inspection and the delivery of humanitarian aid does not affect the maritime blockade," the IDF posted on X.
While Friday's delivery of aid via sea will offer some relief, it's not intended to replace more traditional means.
"I want to emphasize: It is a complement to — not a substitute for — other ways of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza," Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Wednesday during a press briefing. "And, in particular, overland routes remain the most critical way to get assistance in and then to people who need it."
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