The completion of a floating pier by the United States military marks a critical development in the ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip, which has been reeling under the impact of seven months of intense conflict in the Israel-Hamas war.
The pier, which troops finished assembling last week, has been staged at the Israeli port of Ashdod, about 20 miles north of Gaza, which has been grappling with severe shortages due to the war that erupted on October 7 last year. This maritime lifeline comes as a response from the US following President Joe Biden’s directive to alleviate the plight of Palestinians facing the brink of starvation, with food and supplies unable to make it through the land crossings after Israel’s recent seizure of the key Rafah border crossing.
The U.S. Central Command assured that none of its forces would enter the Gaza Strip during the pier’s operations. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the top Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Tuesday that the pier would be ready to use “in the coming days.” In a statement, the World Food Program, which will handle the aid, confirmed their readiness to participate in these efforts.
The U.S. Navy has deployed two warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the USS Arleigh Burke and the USS Paul Ignatius, both destroyers equipped to protect American troops and allies. The Israeli military is responsible for shore security, with Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani stating that Israeli forces have been cooperating with the U.S. military on this project, emphasizing that it’s a “top priority in our operation.”
The backdrop of this innovative aid delivery approach is dire. U.N. officials reported that heavy fighting in and around Rafah has displaced 600,000 people. Seven months of war have killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to local health officials. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, addressing an Arab League summit, accused Israel of engaging in “evasive actions” that undermine ceasefire efforts and criticized the seizure of the Rafah crossing as a move to “solidify its siege on the Gaza Strip.”
Relevant articles:
– US military starts moving floating pier toward Gaza to begin delivery of additional aid, Stripes, 05/16/2024
– The Latest | Israel says it will send more troops to Rafah, as fighting also rages in Gaza’s north, ABC News, 05/16/2024
– US military says Gaza Strip pier project is completed, aid to soon flow as Israel-Hamas war rages on, The Associated Press, 05/16/2024
– How the US floating pier in Gaza will make a difference in the growing hunger crisis, The Christian Science Monitor, 05/16/2024
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