WCK says boat filled with 200 tonnes of food in Cyprus ready to make first sea delivery to Gaza

AMMAN — Since October, the World Central Kitchen (WCK) has been calling to open more access points to Gaza for humanitarian aid. They have served more than 35 million meals, dispatched more than 1,400 trucks across the Rafah Crossing, and opened more than 60 community kitchens across Gaza, according to a statement. 

With Jordan, they have provided food on their land convoys and participated in airdrops. They will be providing food for the daily airdrops that the Jordanians plan for every day during this sacred month of Ramadan.

“We are ready to do so much more. We have a boat filled with nearly 200 tonnes of food and a team in Cyprus ready to make the first maritime delivery of aid to Gaza. We have another 500 tonnes 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,” the statement noted. 

WCK is working closely with the United Arab Emirates and Jordan to make the maritime option possible: “It is crucial to stave off the hunger catastrophe that is unfolding in Gaza. We also appreciate the help of the government of Cyprus,” the statement conveyed.

This is the most politically complex environment WCK has operated in. Since the boat set sail in the middle of February from Spain to Cyprus, they have been navigating the best that they can. In one month, WCK has established a food supply chain —already securing hundreds of tons of food and multiple vessels. 

This moment brings to mind the WCK’s origin story: They started after disasters and crises because of bureaucracy’s failures, inefficiencies, and prioritising risk aversion over human lives. 

“We are following the headlines as countries commit to join an effort to get aid to Gaza by sea. We are aware that many view us as a “pilot” to guide their separate, multi-national initiative”, the statement said, adding that “We will also be following closely to see what actions follow. This is not the time to make hollow promises. Let’s have less diplomacy by meetings and more diplomacy by action”.

In the hope that governments follow WCK’s lead to provide the humanitarian aid that is so desperately needed today—not yesterday and not in a month, the statement reminds that millions of people are suffering and food is the difference between life or death for many.