The plan for a maritime route to Gaza via Cyprus to provide humanitarian assistance for Palestinians was initiated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in collaboration with US President Joe Biden, a senior diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday night.

According to the source, on October 22, two weeks following the war's outbreak, Netanyahu discussed with President Biden the concept of "delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza via the sea, contingent on an Israeli inspection in Cyprus."

The move was also viewed as a criticism of Netanyahu by the United States, with Biden stating in his speech on Thursday that Israel could and should do more to help Palestinians in Gaza.

Years before the Gaza war, Israel Katz, now the Foreign Minister, had drawn up plans for a maritime route via Cyprus involving a floating island. The project was never executed. But he revived it after the war began on October 7.