Israel, Cyprus Discuss ‘Fast Track’ Maritime Lane for Aid to Gaza

 Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 20, 2023. (Reuters)
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 20, 2023. (Reuters)
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Israel, Cyprus Discuss ‘Fast Track’ Maritime Lane for Aid to Gaza

 Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 20, 2023. (Reuters)
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, December 20, 2023. (Reuters)

Israel and Cyprus agreed on Wednesday to pursue ways to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, a move Israel said was an "important step" towards disengaging economically from the enclave it has invaded to wipe out Hamas militants.

Israel's foreign minister was in Cyprus for talks on the corridor, proposed by Nicosia in early November. It will be subject to a security inspection coordinated by Israel, an Israeli foreign ministry statement said.

Cyprus, the closest European Union member state to the Middle East, has offered to host and operate facilities for sustained aid directly into the Gaza Strip once the devastating war between Israel and Hamas ends.

Should the plan materialize, it will be the first time an Israeli naval blockade on Gaza is eased since it was first imposed by Israel in 2007, after the Hamas seized control of the Palestinian territory.

"International aid, well supervised, will help the region gain more stability and prosperity," Cohen said after talks with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos.

The announcement came with Israel facing increasing pressure from its international allies to rein in a military onslaught that has laid waste to much of the coastal enclave in retaliation for a cross-border Hamas killing spree on Oct. 7.

Until then, Israel allowed only heavily restricted trade with impoverished and isolated Gaza, and a limited number of permits for Gazans to work in Israel for much higher pay.

The overall objective, Cohen said, was to create a "fast track" for humanitarian aid to be delivered via a sea corridor. Technical teams from the two countries would be discussing the matter further on Wednesday and Thursday, he said.

"Our aim is to have all the details agreed as soon as possible," Cohen said.

The two ministers visited the port of Larnaca, which is situated some 370 km (230 miles) northwest of Gaza and would be the security checkpoint on the Cypriot end of the maritime lane.

Gaza lacks port facilities but Britain has offered amphibious vessels able to access the enclave's coastline without the need for special infrastructure.

Israel calls its long-standing Gaza blockade a precaution against arms reaching Hamas and other Palestinian militants by sea, and enforces it on any and all shipping.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said ships taking part in aid deliveries through the corridor would be exempted from the blockade.



US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates in fresh action targeting the Iran-backed militant group.

The US Treasury Department in a statement said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers that benefit the Houthis.

"The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."

Among those targeted on Tuesday was Muhammad Al-Sunaydar, who the Treasury said manages a network of petroleum companies between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and was one of the most prominent petroleum importers in Yemen.

Three companies in his network were also designated, with the Treasury saying they coordinated the delivery of approximately $12 million dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum products with a US-designated company to the Houthis.

Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

In January, Trump re-designated the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to impose harsher economic penalties in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships defending the critical maritime area.

In May, the United States announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

The Israeli military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday in its latest assault on the militants, who have been striking ships bound for Israel and launching missiles against it.