The first shipment of humanitarian aid to a newly built US-built floating pier off Gaza has left a port in Cyprus.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos says the US vessel departed from Larnaca port with the aim of transferring as much badly needed aid to Gaza by sea as possible.
US President Joe Biden gave an order about two months ago to build the large floating platform several miles (kilometers) off the Gaza coast.
The World Health Organization says shortages of fuel for its medical operations in southern Gaza have already forced one of three remaining hospitals in the city of Rafah to shut down.
The Rafah border crossing with Egypt has been closed since Israel's military took control of the Palestinian side early Tuesday, blocking the entry of desperately needed humanitarian aid. The UN says northern Gaza is already in a state of "full-blown famine."
The war in Gaza has driven around 80% of the territory's population of 2.3 million from their homes and caused vast destruction to apartments, hospitals, mosques and schools across several cities. The death toll in Gaza has soared to more than 34,500 people, according to local health officials.
