The barge Jenifer, part of a three ship flotilla carrying food aid for the Gaza Strip, sails next to the French frigate Courbet as the flotilla departs the port of Larnaca in Cyprus on March 30, 2024. AFP
World Central Kitchen said the vessels and a barge were carrying ready-to-eat items like rice, pasta, flour, legumes, canned vegetables and proteins that were enough to prepare more than 1 million meals.
Also on board were dates, which are traditionally eaten to break the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
It was not clear when the ships would reach Gaza.
An Open Arms ship inaugurated the direct sea route to the Palestinian territory earlier this month with 200 tons of food, water and other aid.
The United Nations and partners have warned that Israel's siege of Gaza could push the widely devastated, largely isolated north into famine as early as this month.
Humanitarian officials say deliveries by sea and air are not enough and that Israel must allow far more aid by road.
The top U.N. court has ordered Israel to open more land crossings and take other measures to address the humanitarian crisis.
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