The non-governmental organization World Central Kitchen, which organized the first aid ship to Gaza, confirmed to CNN on Friday that the first pallet of aid was successfully unloaded in the besieged enclave.
A spokesperson for the non-profit organization, founded by chef José Andrés, said the pallet was unloaded after the ship's barge was successfully connected to the specially built jetty in central Gaza. The jetty was quickly assembled by workers who began construction on or after March 10, according to satellite images provided to CNN by Maxar on Thursday.
The Israeli military completed a security inspection of the ship and the aid it was carrying when it arrived, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on Friday. The check was aimed at ensuring “compliance with security regulations,” the Israeli military said.
WCK said it also hopes to send a second aid ship to Gaza soon and began loading new supplies onto a ship docked in the Cypriot port of Larnaca on Friday.
The 300 tons of aid in the second shipment includes “pallets of canned goods and bulk products, including beans, carrots, canned tuna, chickpeas, canned corn, parboiled rice, flour, oil and salt,” it said in a statement.
They also managed to load a large crane, which they hope will “help with future maritime deliveries to Gaza.” The NGO has not yet been able to confirm when this second ship will be able to set sail for Gaza.
More on aid to Gaza: Since Palestinians in Gaza are in dire need, any help is welcome, but aid groups say maritime and air-dropped aid should be complementary to ground deliveries, not a substitute. Agencies and officials have repeatedly warned that no method of humanitarian aid can be as effective as ground delivery.
In a joint statement, 25 non-governmental organizations called on states to prioritize a ceasefire and increased land aid deliveries, warning that maritime aid can set a dangerous precedent that undermines land routes and allows for prolonged hostilities.
CNN's Amir Tal and Eyad Kourdi contributed reporting to this publication.
