GAZA

Gaza

Israel’s invasion of Gaza has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 45,000 deaths, almost a third of whom are children, and more than 1.7 million people displaced in inhumane conditions, without sufficient food, water, or humanitarian aid.

Open Arms, together with World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by chef José Andrés, carried out two humanitarian aid missions. The intention was, first, to open a humanitarian corridor that had not existed until then, and then, to sustain it over time and increase the flow of aid. Each mission consisted of two phases: the first to the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, and a second, much more complex and dangerous one, from Larnaca to the displaced people in the Gaza Strip.

First shipment: historic milestone

The first aid mission set sail from Larnaca on March 12, 2024, after three weeks docked in Cyprus. It was an unprecedented success, breaking the Israeli-imposed naval blockade for the first time in 20 years.

In a highly complex journey, 200 tons of food, including flour, rice, and canned goods, were delivered to a population whose nutritional status was classified as an “unprecedented global disaster” by the UN, with more than 1.1 million children at risk of dying of hunger and without sufficient food or water to meet the population’s needs.

Second shipment: massacre

On March 30, 2024, the second humanitarian aid mission set sail from Larnaca to Gaza, with three ships and a barge carrying more than 400 tons of food. The goal was to build on the success of the first mission by doubling the flow of aid to the population displaced by the conflict.

However, during the high-risk operation, and despite being coordinated with the Israeli authorities, three missiles launched by the Israeli army at different times hit the aid convoy clearly marked with the World Central Kitchen (WCK) logo, killing seven of the organization’s aid workers. Consequently, the mission was suspended, and the Open Arms ship returned to Larnaca on April 4, 2024. Open Arms publicly denounced both the attack on WCK members and the genocide in Gaza that systematically violates the fundamental human rights of the civilian population.