Aid ship loaded with food gathered by José Andrés charity sets sail for Gaza

An aid ship loaded with 200 tons of food gathered by World Central Kitchen set sail for Gaza on Tuesday.

Celebrity chef José Andrés, the founder of charity World Central Kitchen, has called for more access points to Gaza to open a flow of humanitarian aid. The aid is being transported by the Spanish aid group Open Arms, The Associated Press reported.  

In a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Andrés shared a photo of the ship ready to depart. He said it reminded him of why he started the charity, “to feed people after crises no matter what.”

“This is a time for action not for hollow promises,” he said. “The world needs to join us to provide the humanitarian aid that Palestinians so desperately need today.”

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the charity has donated more than 35 million meals, sent more than 1,400 trucks across the Rafah border crossing and opened more than 60 community kitchens in Gaza, its website said.

Andrés celebrated the ship setting sail from Cyprus for Gaza early Tuesday, posting online to thank everyone who made it possible to feed the “people of the north.” He said he hoped the “moment at the beginning of Ramadan be a good omen, for peace in the Middle East.”

According to Reuters, there’s another 500 tons of aid ready to be delivered to Gaza.

The voyage is 200 miles across the Mediterranean Sea and could take up to two days, Cypriot officials said. The mission is mostly funded by the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported.

Just days after the United States and other allies began sending air drops of aid to civilians in Gaza, President Biden announced the U.S. military would build a temporary port on Gaza’s coast to increase aid deliveries.

Still, the floating pier is expected to take up to two months to construct and as many as 1,000 service members to complete it.

Since the start of the war on Oct. 7, more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported. According to the United Nations, a quarter of Gaza’s population is starving.

The increased aid deliveries come as the U.S. and its allies continue to negotiate with Israel and Hamas about a temporary cease-fire to release the remaining hostages and deliver more food, water, medicine and supplies to the territory.