MV HENKE

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Effort to get aid to Gaza delayed

The latest effort to get a meaningful amount of aid into Gaza for residents aboard the 'Henke' appeared to have been slowed as the vessel was circling off the coast near the port of Ashdod as of Aug 22. The ship had been scheduled to dock on the night of Aug 19, 2025. The Republic of Cyprus took a leading role in organizing the aid shipment. It contributed over 700 tons of food and material, along with 500 tons from the Government of Malta. The aid from Cyprus was purchased with money donated by the United Arab Emirates to the so-called Amalthea Fund, set up last year for donors to help with seaborne aid. The rest was coming from Italy, the Maltese government, a Catholic religious order in Malta and the Kuwaiti nongovernmental organisation Al Salam Association. The 'Henke' was loaded at the port of Lemesos and sailed on Aug 18. It was screened by Israeli officials at the port of Limassol before departing. The ship was loaded with a total of 52 containers holding 1,200 tons of relief aid. Among the supplies provided were pasta, rice, baby food, canned goods, and other vital supplies, which were to be handed over to the charitable organization World Central Kitchen as the final contractor and distributor. Once offloaded at Ashdod, U.N. employees will arrange for the aid to be trucked to storage areas and food stations operated by the World Central Kitchen. The charity, which was behind the first aid shipment to Gaza from Cyprus last year aboard a tug-towed barge, is widely trusted in the battered territory. The 'Henkre', however, has a spotty record, including 16 deficiencies identified during a Port State inspection in May, which caused it to be detained for eight days. Reports with photos: https://www.euronews.com/2025/08/19/ship-with-hundreds-of-tonnes-of-food-aid-for-gaza-nears-israeli-port-after-leaving-cyprus https://www.timesofisrael.com/ship-ferrying-1200-tons-of-food-aid-for-gaza-nears-israel-after-departing-from-cyprus/ https://corrierediarezzo.it/news/cronaca/379688/sbloccati-dopo-mesi-gli-aiuti-umanitari-della-misericordia-per-la-striscia-di-gaza-salpata-la-nave.html