Screened in Cyprus, British and Cypriot aid heads to Gaza via Egypt

Britain and Cyprus have sent 87 tonnes of aid to Gaza via Egypt, the two countries have said, with Cypriot officials saying they had successfully tested a screening mechanism for cargoes offering an alternative route for badly needed supplies.

The January 1 delivery to Port Said in Egypt for transfer to Gaza through the Rafah border crossing fell short of Cyprus' ultimate objective to establish a direct aid corridor to the Israel-besieged Palestinian enclave. But, for the first time, it offered a workaround on how aid could be accelerated by eliminating security checks in Israel itself, officials said.

The shipment includes 10,770 thermal blankets, 4,805 shelter packs as well as 10 tons of pharmaceutical products contributed by Cyprus.

The Cypriot initiative to create a sustained, one-way sea route into Gaza entails aid undergoing security checks in Cyprus by...