WCK aid sets sail for Gaza

 

WCK humanitarian aid sets sail for Gaza World Central Kitchen's Operation Safeena is underway as we dispatched our first maritime shipment of humanitarian aid to Gaza. After weeks of preparation, our team in Cyprus loaded almost 200 tons of food onto the Open Arms boat that will deliver the desperately-needed aid to Gaza. Once there, we will distribute the food to communities on the brink of famine. WCK has provided more than 35 million meals to displaced Palestinians since serving our first plates of food in the region. WCK's Juan Camilo reports from Cyprus. We are working with the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and the international community to open this maritime aid corridor so as many meals as possible reach Palestinians in need.  Alongside our partners in Gaza, we are constructing a jetty we will use to offload the aid before loading it onto trucks that will deliver the food. Our team has another 500 tons of aid in Cyprus ready to be loaded on future boats.  Open Arms and the barge it is towing with almost 200 tons of aid preparing to set sail for Gaza. WCK and Open Arms set up operations in Larnaca, a port town in southern Cyprus. There, our Procurement and Logistics Team is sourcing, packing, and loading pallets of rice, flour, legumes, canned vegetables, and canned proteins that are on their way to war-torn Palestinian communities. “This is the next step to providing food aid into Gaza,” said John, WCK’s Middle East response co-lead who was on the ground in Cyprus. “People in northern Gaza are suffering and really need this food.” The opening of the maritime aid corridor will allow us to reach many more people. However, the international community must continue to pursue all possible aid avenues, including the opening of more land crossings into all parts of Gaza. Read more from José and WCK's CEO Erin about the next phase of our efforts in Gaza. Relief Team expands capacity in central Gaza WCK has opened a Welcome Center for displaced Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza by foot in search of safety further south. People crossing the Israeli military checkpoint in the city of Deir al-Balah are now being greeted by WCK's team with hot meals and food kits. We have also invited multi-sector engagement for services like medical care to ensure families get the urgent support they require.  Also in Deir al-Balah, we are working nonstop to get a second full-scale Relief Kitchen built and operational. “We are working with all energy and effort to prepare the kitchen and try to complete it as soon as possible,” said Mohamed, a team member supervising the project. Our Culinary Team estimates they will be able to produce 70,000 hot meals each day from this new location. Solidarity during Ramadan Our teams in the region are set to provide additional support for families in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan. “Ramadan is a month when we need all the support we can get,” said Iyad, the manager of one of WCK’s community kitchens. WCK will provide 92,000 food boxes—the equivalent of 4.7 million meals—during Ramadan so families able to cook for themselves can prepare nourishing meals during their non-fasting hours of the day.   Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Beyond its religious significance, it encapsulates universal principles of empathy, generosity, and solidarity. It is a time when communities come together to support one another, and WCK is committed to continuing its support of communities in Gaza.   This Ramadan, we’re honored to announce a generous matching gift opportunity, doubling the impact of every donation up to $100,000. This means your support will go even further in providing essential food assistance to Gaza’s most vulnerable communities. 100% of your donation directly supports WCK’s work in Gaza.