On Tuesday’s early hours, a vessel transporting nearly 200 tonnes of food set sail from a Cypriot port destined for Gaza. The pioneering initiative seeks to establish a new maritime aid passage for a community facing the threat of starvation. The charity vessel, Open Arms, was observed departing the Larnaca port in Cyprus, hauling a barge loaded with approximately 200 tonnes of essentials like flour, rice, and protein.
Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, efforts to broker a ceasefire in line with the Muslim holy month Ramadan’s commencement on Monday have failed. It is uncertain whether the operations in Khan Younis will be extended by Israel to Rafah, a southern city where over a million war-evacuees have sought shelter.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, reinforced his plea for an end to the Gaza conflict and an escalation of humanitarian aid, lamenting that international humanitarian law appears to be in shreds. He spoke of a potential Israeli attack on Rafah and the implication it could have, intensifying sufferings in Gaza. He further demanded the removal of all hindrances to facilitate the fast and large-scale delivery of life-saving aid to Gaza and for the liberation of hostages held by Hamas.
Simultaneously, Houthi rebels in Yemen backed by Iran have announced an escalation of their military activities in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, as a sign of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. This news followed reports by Yemen’s internationally recognised government of the death of at least 11 individuals due to airstrikes executed by the UK and the US.
A representative for the recognised government of Yemen informed Reuters about air strikes, believed to be from a US-UK coalition, that targeted port cities and small towns in western Yemen on Monday, resulting in at least 11 deaths and 14 injuries while protecting commercial shipping.
The US Central Command revealed on Tuesday that Yemen’s Houthi group launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled regions into the Red Sea, aiming at the commercial ship Pinocchio, though no injuries or damages were reported.
From the middle of November, Iranian supported Yemeni insurgents, known as the Houthis, have instigated numerous assaults on vessels traversing the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Significantly, this vital maritime path carries 12 percent of global trade. – Agencies