Three ships have left a port in Cyprus with 400 tons of food and other supplies for Gaza, as concerns grow about the level of hunger in the Palestinian territory.
World Central Kitchen said the ships are carrying rice, pastries, flour, canned vegetables and protein, from which more than 1 million meals can be prepared. Also, the deliveries also include dates, which are traditionally consumed for iftar during the holy month of Ramadan.
Earlier this month, the Open Arms ship was the first to pass through this sea route to Gaza, where it delivered over 200 tonnes of food, water and other aid.
The United Nations and partners have warned that famine could hit the devastated, isolated northern Gaza this month. Humanitarian officials have said that shipments by sea and air are not enough and that Israel should allow more aid to come in by land.
A top UN court has ordered Israel to open more land crossings and take measures to address the humanitarian crisis.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas - the Palestinian group designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union - attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 civilians and kidnapping 250 others.
Israeli air and ground attacks have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, according to local authorities in the Gaza Strip. The fighting has displaced more than 80 percent of Gaza's population and hundreds of thousands are on the brink of starvation, the United Nations and international aid agencies have said. / Rel