News item | 08-11-2023 | 15:46
The government is sending the patrol ship Zr.Ms. Holland to the eastern part of the Mediterranean. The naval ship can provide support there in the event of an evacuation from the region. Allies can also contribute to a maritime corridor to send humanitarian aid to Gaza. Minister of Defense Kajsa Ollongren reported this today, partly on behalf of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, in a letter to the House of Representatives.
Zr.Ms. Holland is expected to leave the Netherlands in the middle of this month. The ship will then arrive in the operating area a week and a half later. The duration of deployment depends on current developments.
The government sees that the situation surrounding the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas is developing rapidly. The battle has a major impact on the population of both Israel and the Palestinian territories. The situation is particularly serious in Gaza. Residents here need immediate humanitarian assistance. Expanding and accelerating access to the area by land is therefore a priority.
But options by sea and air are also being considered. The operational details for possible deployment of Zr.Ms. Holland will be further elaborated in close coordination with international partners.
C-130 transport aircraft
The Netherlands is currently present in Cyprus with 2 C-130 transport aircraft and a marine unit. One of these aircraft will return shortly. Once in the Netherlands, it is prepared so that it can be deployed quickly if necessary. The other C-130 and the Marines will remain ready in Cyprus, according to the current plan until the end of this year.
Minister Ollongren is visiting the Dutch detachment in Cyprus today. There she also speaks with her Cypriot colleague, including about the possibility of a possible aid corridor across the sea.