US Army Vessel En Route to Gaza with Aid as Biden Criticizes Netanyahu
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip – The dire humanitarian situation in Gaza has prompted the United States to increase aid deliveries to the besieged enclave. A U.S. Army vessel carrying equipment for building a temporary pier in Gaza is en route to the Mediterranean, marking a significant shift in aid delivery methods. This move comes just three days after U.S. President Joe Biden announced plans to ramp up aid deliveries by sea and air, bypassing Israeli control over land shipments.
The decision to open a sea corridor and conduct airdrops demonstrates the growing alarm over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. The number of aid trucks entering Gaza by land has significantly decreased due to Israeli restrictions and security issues. The daily average of aid trucks entering Gaza over the past five months has fallen far below the pre-war number of 500.
Israel has welcomed the sea deliveries and has committed to inspecting Gaza-bound cargo before it leaves a staging area in nearby Cyprus. This marks a departure from Israel’s previous control over land shipments, indicating a new willingness to address the urgent needs of the Palestinian population in Gaza.
Meanwhile, President Biden has intensified his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an interview with MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart, Biden expressed his belief that Netanyahu’s approach to the war against Hamas is “hurting Israel more than helping Israel.” While supporting Israel’s right to pursue Hamas, Biden emphasized the need for Netanyahu to prioritize the protection of innocent lives. He warned against further Palestinian casualties, stating, “you cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead.”
Tragically, Palestinian casualties continue to rise in Gaza. The Civil Defense Department reported that at least nine Palestinians, including children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City. Heartbreaking footage shared by the civil defense showed first responders pulling out the dead and injured from the collapsed house. The devastating impact of the conflict is further evident in the bodies of 13 people, including women and children, who were taken to the main hospital in Deir al-Balah. These individuals were killed by Israeli artillery fire towards a large tent camp for displaced Palestinians.
Israel has consistently held that Hamas is responsible for civilian casualties due to its practice of operating from within civilian areas. However, the Health Ministry in Gaza reported that at least 30,960 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. While the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, it highlights that women and children make up two-thirds of the casualties. These figures align with those reported by the United Nations and independent experts.
Efforts are now underway to establish a temporary pier in Gaza for sea deliveries. The U.S. Central Command confirmed that the first U.S. Army vessel, the General Frank S. Besson, has departed from a base in Virginia and is en route to the Eastern Mediterranean with equipment for pier construction. However, it is expected to take several weeks before the pier becomes operational.
The sea corridor initiative has garnered support from the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries. The European Commission has announced that U.N. agencies and the Red Cross will also play a role in facilitating aid delivery. Spain’s Open Arms aid group is preparing to conduct a pilot voyage to test the corridor, with a ship carrying 200 tons of rice and flour. Once the ship reaches Gaza, the aid will be off-loaded by a crane and transported by trucks to northern Gaza, an area that has been largely cut off from aid shipments.
While air and sea deliveries are crucial in addressing the immediate crisis, senior aid officials have warned that they cannot fully compensate for the shortage of supply routes on land. The urgency to increase aid delivery comes as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaches. Talks for a six-week ceasefire, led by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, have been stalled, with Hamas seeking assurances that a temporary truce will lead to a permanent end of hostilities. Mediators had hoped that the ceasefire would provide an opportunity to release hostages, prisoners, and facilitate a major influx of assistance into Gaza.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the conflict taking a heavy toll on the civilian population. The increased aid deliveries by sea and air signify a shift in the international community’s approach to addressing the humanitarian crisis. As efforts continue to alleviate the suffering in Gaza, it is crucial for all parties involved to prioritize the protection of innocent lives and work towards a lasting solution that brings peace and stability to the region.
