Gaza, 11 March 2024 (dpa) — The delivery of humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip from Cyprus continues to be delayed, with still no clarity as of Monday afternoon about when the Open Arms ship would leave the harbour in Larnaca.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on the radio that the delay is related to issues concerning the unloading and distribution of the aid supplies. "There have been problems with some of these issues," he said.

A second shipment of humanitarian aid is waiting at the port of Larnaca and could be delivered to Gaza in the next few days.

Professor of political science and head of the Cyprus Reserach Centre (KYKEM), Christos Iakovou, said on Cypriot television that the ship's repeatedly postponed departure is due to Israel wanting to ensure that the aid is not accepted and distributed by the Palestinian militant organization Hamas or other extremist organizations.

According to the Cypriot government in Nicosia, the ship Open Arms, which is set to tow a cargo platform, has around 200 tons of drinking water, medicine and food on board.

The launch of the aid corridor by sea last weekend was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on Friday.

Larnaca is around 400 kilometres from Gaza. Experts estimate that the journey there could take 48 to 60 hours. It is unclear where and how the ship will unload its cargo after arriving in the waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

Delivering the goods is considered a major challenge because there is only a small fishing port that is not deep enough for cargo ships. The US military therefore wants to set up a temporary port together with international partners, but according to the US, its construction will take two months.