Von der Leyen visiting Cyprus to discuss sea corridor (Update 2)

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen is visiting Cyprus this week to discuss implementation of the maritime humanitarian corridor to Gaza, it emerged on Wednesday.

This was confirmed by government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.

Speaking after a cabinet session, Letymbiotis said that Von der Leyen will be in Cyprus on Friday to see the infrastructure planned for a humanitarian corridor as well as some phases of the plan.

He added that there is interest from the EU and its institutions in planning the humanitarian aid corridor to Gaza, as well as from other countries.

“For this reason, European Commission President Ms Von der Leyen will visit Cyprus, where on Friday she will visit with the President of the Republic the infrastructure included in some phases of the planning,” he said.

According to the spokesman, Von der Leyen is expected to arrive on Thursday evening.

“What is of particular importance is that there is a growing recognition of the added value of a sea corridor for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza, and this proves that we can deliver humanitarian assistance as soon as possible,” Letymbiotis said.

Asked to comment on statements made by the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, which pointed to Cyprus purportedly being used as hub to supply weapons to Israel, the spokesman said that “it is a given” that the sea corridor is aimed solely at providing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza.

“That has been our goal from the beginning, a one-way sea corridor for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza in a major, massive humanitarian crisis as it unfolds,” he said. He added that, this is the sole and exclusive objective of this initiative.

However, Palestine itself seems to be less enamoured with the idea of Cyprus’ humanitarian corridor.

The country’s foreign ministry said it “is convinced that Israel’s insistence on opening sea lanes and preventing the passage of land aid through the existing corridors and entrances is aimed at implementing the occupation government’s plan to perpetuate the occupation”.

It added that Israel aims to “separate the West Bank from the Gaza Strip and continue the displacement of our people.”

It said it “condemns the occupation government’s obstruction of the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, particularly its northern part”, and that it “demands the opening of all crossing points for the entry of humanitarian aid.”

The head of the EU commission is expected to arrive on the island on Thursday, after the conclusion of the European People’s Party (EPP) meeting in Bucharest, Romania.

According to the Cyprus news agency, President Nikos Christodoulides, will also speak on Thursday at the EPP session, where Von der Leyen’s candidacy for a second term with the support of the pan-European centre-right party is expected to be ratified.

In a post on X on Monday, Von der Leyen said she had held a telephone conversation with Christodoulides during which they discussed the humanitarian situation in Gaza. She added that the commission will support the implementation of the maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus.

Meanwhile on Tuesday the website of the Israeli newspaper Maariv said a decision would be made by the Israeli state on Thursday in relation to the sea corridor.

According to the news site, the humanitarian aid will be purchased and transported by sea at the expense of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The ship that will carry the humanitarian aid will first head to Cyprus, where a special Israeli security team will check the ship’s cargo and, upon completion of the check, the ship will sail to the shores of Gaza.

The Israeli publication did not specify exactly where the ship carrying humanitarian aid would dock, in order to reach the civilians in the Palestinian enclave, who are facing mass starvation according to international aid agencies including Doctors Without Borders, who said effectively no aid has been allowed in for months.

According to the source, UAE leadership insisted that the trial run of the Cyprus-Gaza sea corridor be carried out before the start of the holy month of Ramadan (which begins on Sunday), in order to identify any weaknesses and correct them, with the aim of providing humanitarian help throughout the Muslim holiday.

Cyprus’ maritime humanitarian corridor dubbed ‘Amalthia’ was recently discussed during a visit by US officials to Cyprus. On Sunday US National Security representative John Kirby, stated that the discussion on the transfer of humanitarian supplies to Gaza by sea could possibly be routed through Cyprus, although he added that the idea was at an early stage.