Some 2,000 foreign troops stationed in Cyprus
Israel has identified the best point in Gaza for which Cyprus can connect its humanitarian corridor to, though security sources fear Hamas may use it as an arms route, President Nikos Christodoulides said in an interview with Le Monde which was published on Friday.
His interview with the French publication was carried out during his visit to Paris, where the president detailed the 25-page plan over the humanitarian corridor.
Asked directly if Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given his approval, Christodoulides said during their last meeting, Netanyahu “pointed out to me the best point of entry to the coast, to the south-west.”
“In order to ensure that the aid delivered would indeed be of a humanitarian nature, he [Netanyahu] asked me if it was possible to send a team of Israeli experts to Cyprus. Israel fears that weapons could reach Hamas. This is a great source of concern for Israelis, which we completely understand.”
As such, both agreed to have security teams from each country work together.
Christodoulides has also agreed to having the maritime corridor work in one direction only. “We will send humanitarian aid, the boats will return empty.”
“We are ready for the maritime route, delivery can start immediately. The United Nations will be responsible for receiving and distributing the aid.”
Christodoulides said Nicosia is recommending a humanitarian pause “which would make things easier”, for at least five or six hours, so as to best achieve the aid efforts.
He added US officials were working in that direction, however the matter is intricately tied to the issue of hostages. “Right now, I don’t think we’re close to a pause. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, when he was in Cyprus, was not too optimistic about it.”
The president detailed that his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was in favour of the idea, and was ready for Israel to greenlight it. Christodoulides specified the Rafah crossing point is facing a bottleneck, and Cyprus’ maritime humanitarian corridor could help relieve the congestion.
The idea is that all aid to Gaza would be sent from Larnaca port utilising Cyclops (Cyprus’ Center for Land Open Seas and Port Security), created by the US and owned by Cyprus. This centre is equipped with all the necessary infrastructure in terms of cargo, equipment and port security.
For getting the aid to Gaza, the most important thing would be to have a platform through which humanitarian aid could arrive because the sea is shallow there, Christodoulides explained.
The United Arab Emirates has special vessels that could be used to move to the coast and in the long term, Cyprus could have access to a port in Gaza, the president added.
Discussing the foreign military presence on the island, Christodoulides noted that since October 7, around 2,000 foreign soldiers have arrived to Cyprus, who are mostly American, French, Dutch and German.
He underlined he feared the war would cause an influx of refugees to Cyprus, which it does not want. Nonetheless, the country “is ready to treat the wounded from the conflict in Gaza. Many countries have asked us to do so, including Israel.”