The first ship towing a barge of humanitarian aid to Gaza has unloaded supplies onto the shore.
The Spanish ship Open Arms left Cyprus on Tuesday with 200 tonnes of food desperately needed for Gaza, which the UN says is on the brink of famine.
Videos posted online show a crane moving crates from the barge to lorries waiting on a purpose-built jetty.
It marks the start of a trial to see if sea deliveries are effective, after air and land deliveries proved difficult.
World Central Kitchen (WCK), which supplied the food, carried out the mission in co-operation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to deliver the barge's cargo of rice, flour, legumes, canned vegetables and canned proteins.
The aid will reportedly be delivered via truck by the WCK to Palestinians in northern Gaza. The ship’s arrival marks the first time aid has been delivered by ship to Gaza since 2005.
The coordination and support received from Cyprus have been crucial in ensuring the smooth running of "Operation Safeena." Cyprus has played a pivotal role in overseeing inspections and facilitating the logistical aspects of the mission.
