Genocide without turning back, message from Israel: Open Arms

With the attack by the Israeli army that on Monday killed seven humanitarian workers from the only team of aid workers who dared to break the blockade in the Gaza Strip through an unusual humanitarian bridge, to carry and distribute food to the population in the middle After the catastrophe, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government cut the only remaining canal to prevent millions of Palestinians from dying of hunger.

In a telephone interview from the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, Oscar Camps, founder and director of the Open Arms organization, understands the message that Israel is sending: With this attack, with 200 international aid workers and 130 journalists murdered in Gaza previously, the message is: we want to end this genocide with hunger, without witnesses and without help. First, they expelled international agencies, including those of the UN, from Gaza territory. And now they attack the convoy of World Central Kitchen (WCK), the only organization that was giving out food at this time. Because yes, hunger is a weapon.

–A flotilla with 400 tons of food has had to turn around without being able to deliver aid to people who are dying of hunger.

–But it’s not just those 400 tons. There are 2 thousand tons waiting in the warehouses of Larnaca, to be transferred on other trips that will no longer be made. The food that can save millions of people is less than 250 miles away.

–And this occurs precisely when the UN declares a situation of imminent famine in Gaza, something that could happen in June if the blockade continues (it is considered a famine situation when two adults or four children die from malnutrition every day).

–It is like that. A corridor was opened that was going to be quite scalable. Due to the success we had in the first mission and how things were going in this second, everything seemed to be growing. It was beginning to arouse a lot of interest. Several NGOs with fleets of boats available also asked the Israeli government for authorization. I think Israel has known this and has decided to close it. That’s what I think. Although who knows what they think in that government. What they are doing is so inhuman that it is difficult for a human to know what they are thinking.

The last photos from the breakwater

It was dusk on Monday, April 1, when Camps, from the bridge of the tugboat, took the last photographs of the unloading maneuvers in front of the small pier on Gaza beach, in Deir Balah. From the top of the breakwater, the Polish Damián Sobol (35 years old) extends his arms, saying goodbye to him; The Australian Zomi makes a final hug gesture, the Palestinian Saiffedim and the others smile. They were the last photos of him during his life.

In Deir Balah, volunteers from World Center Kitchen built a breakwater with the rubble of bombed buildings to be able to disembark aid in the absence of a port. There, the seven aid workers took their last photograph before leaving for Gaza. From above, the Polish Damián Sobol extends his arms, saying goodbye to him; The Australian Zomi makes a hugging gesture, while the Palestinian Saiffedim and the others smile. The seven were killed last Monday by Israeli forces. Photo by Open Arms

At this point on the Gaza coast, the WCK ground team completed the landing and storage operations. Some were preparing to continue with a second and third volley, that of the ships Jeniferwith the flag of the Arab Emirates, and the tugboat Hydra. Another group of volunteers left in three vehicles. On the roof of each car there was a large logo of the NGO, with its nice colored frying pan. The Israeli authorities knew their work plan and movements step by step. They themselves had authorized it after exaggerated scrutiny and a number of conditions that were complied with. The convoy of three vehicles had not traveled even two kilometers when it was attacked by air. Three accurate Israeli mortars killed seven of the group.

We had been with them talking. We said goodbye with many hugs. That first step had gone very well. We boarded the tugboat that took us to the ship, anchored 25 miles away. And we heard the explosions. We never imagined what had happened. Already in the early morning, when we had Internet, we knew that they had been killedsays a devastated Oscar Camps.

“We immediately received the order: abort the Operation Safeena. He Jenifer and the Hydrathe other two of the flotilla, turned around with the load of food on their backs.”

Dumbbell to save lives

Sailor and rescuer Oscar Camps and chef José Andrés, both Catalans, had worked together on a similar mission when the war broke out in Ukraine. With all borders closed, the only way to bring food was through the Black Sea and the Danube River and its tributaries. The Open Arms-WCK team completed four missions there.

In November of last year, Camps received a call from the famous chef.

-What are you saying? We do? –asked the chef, owner of several restaurants around the world and author of celebrated cookbooks.

–Well, it seems almost impossible to me. There are no ports open right now. And a sea bridge to Palestine has not been attempted for 20 years – responded the sailor, dedicated for 10 years body and soul to the rescue of shipwrecked migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe.

–Well, let me try it –answered the chef who has fed populations in disaster situations, since the hurricanes. Katrina in New Orleans, Otis in Acapulco, even in conflict situations, such as Haiti or Ukraine. José Andrés, president of WCK, is also a White House advisor for food affairs and has excellent contacts around the world.

Oscar Camps, director of Open Arms, condemned the attack on WCK, the only organization that was distributing food in Gaza. Photo by Open Arms

On December 20 they learned that Israel would authorize the opening of a maritime humanitarian corridor from Cyprus to Gaza. When we saw this news we said: well, let’s move. Open Armsan old but durable ship, headed towards Larnaca.

Once in Cyprus we began the political pressures. There were technical problems because there was nowhere to disembark in Gaza. And that is where José Agustín comes in with all his inventiveness. We designed a large platform that accepts cargo and brings it closer to the shore. A small dock was built on the beach, a breakwater that extends up to two meters deep. Due to a lack of materials, WCK volunteers used debris from the bombed buildings. And so, from about 20 miles, the ship can tow the platform with its auxiliary boats to the breakwater, where the ground work team with cranes can unload.

With that technical solution, José Andrés traveled to Israel, spoke with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with all the authorities that were necessary, they gave him a stay for four weeks; he flew to Aman to speak with the king of Jordan. Israel demanded that the plan be modified. They accepted, made all the necessary changes, accepted all their conditions of review and supervision. And one day with good seas they undertook their first trip.

The first operation was a success. Under the surveillance of the Israeli navy, Open Arms brought 200 tons of food to the breakwater – there was a good supply of dates, since it was the days of Ramadan and with this they wanted to bring a little spiritual relief to Muslims in a disaster situation. – and WCK humanitarian workers were able to bring life-saving meals to their 60 community kitchens deployed in northern Gaza.

Given the success obtained, a second trip was planned, the Operation Safeena. And suddenly, seven murders cut short the illusion of saving lives.

–What is going to be done later? Will there be a strategy to resume the project?

–It’s too early to talk about it. We are all in mourning. They have just taken the bodies of our companions through Egypt. We are waiting for explanations, investigations. Today we all met on board the ship, all together and we couldn’t even speak, only cry and hug each other.