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NICOSIA: Only 1,000 tons of the 7,000 tons of humanitarian aid shipped to war-ravaged Gaza from Cyprus have been distributed because of insecurity, US aid officials said on Wednesday.
The remaining 6,000 tons was on shore in secure conditions but has yet to be distributed because of an upsurge in violence and looting, the officials said.
The sea corridor linking Cyprus with the Gaza Strip opened in March, delivering a fraction of the basic supplies needed to sustain the Palestinian territory鈥檚 2.4 million people.
The maritime aid route has faced obstacles, including security concerns at a US military-built pier and the distribution of aid upon arrival.
鈥淚 have never seen a more challenging or complex environment for the humanitarian community to work,鈥� said USAID鈥檚 Doug Stropes.
鈥淭here is currently a security review on the lawlessness and gang activity,鈥� he said, referring to information received from partners on the ground.
Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said that despite the challenges, the aid effort to Gaza would continue.
鈥淭here is a constant flow of vessels and sending to the other side,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here are of course certain challenges, challenges that relate to everything going on in Gaza, but we continue the effort.
鈥淚t is not going to be an easy task.
鈥淲e are, after all, operating in what is a war zone and we are doing everything we can in cooperation with our partners to ensure that this has an impact on the daily lives of people on the ground.鈥�
The US ambassador to Cyprus, Julie Fisher, said Washington was committed to exhausting 鈥渆very possible avenue to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people who are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.鈥�
The Gaza war began with Hamas鈥檚 October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
The militants also seized about 250 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza although the army says 42 are dead.
Israel鈥檚 retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,718 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from Hamas-run Gaza鈥檚 health ministry.