A ship is ready to send food aid to the Gaza Strip, the Spanish NGO Open Arms said on March 9. The ship is currently docked in the Cyprus port of Larnaca, pending final approval.

Cyprus is the European Union’s closest member state to Gaza, and the European Commission is hoping for the ship to leave on the 10th. It will be the first shipment of aid to leave by sea from Cyprus.

Open Arms spokeswoman Laura Lanuza told AFP the shipment – containing food items including “rice, flour and canned tuna” and water – was currently being inspected by Israeli authorities.

He said the US charity World Central Kitchen was working with them to set up a pier on the Gaza side to unload the cargo. (AFP/Adel Zaanoun with Mathieu Gorse in Jerusalem)