US Military to Build Floating Pier for Humanitarian Aid Delivery to Gaza: CNN Report
In an effort to address the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, the US military is set to construct a floating pier and causeway that will facilitate the delivery of critical aid by sea. According to Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the construction of the pier is expected to take at least one month, possibly longer, and will require the involvement of as many as 1,000 US military personnel.
The decision to build the floating pier reflects the Biden administration’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, who have been severely impacted by Israel’s refusal to open additional land crossings or increase aid deliveries. The initiative aims to enhance a maritime corridor that has been established by the US, the European Commission, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and the UK to provide direct assistance to Gaza.
However, frustration is mounting within the administration due to the Israeli government’s apparent disregard for the urgency of the humanitarian crisis. Despite increasing pressure from the US, Israel has been slow to respond, exacerbating the dire situation in Gaza where over two million people are in need of food and the medical system is on the verge of collapse.
To address the immediate needs of the population, the US has already begun air-dropping meals into Gaza. While these airdrops have provided some relief, they are insufficient to meet the needs of over two million Palestinians. Sigrid Kaag, a UN humanitarian official, aptly described them as “a drop in the ocean.”
The construction of the floating pier and causeway will be carried out by the US military, including personnel from the Navy and Army. The pier will serve as a point of offloading aid from ships, which will then be transported across the causeway into Gaza. The project will make use of the military’s Joint Logistics Over the Shore capability, which involves unloading cargo in areas without a fixed port facility. The US military last deployed this capability in an exercise called Talisman Sabre.
It is important to note that US military personnel will not be responsible for transporting the aid into Gaza. Instead, regional partners on the ground in Gaza will anchor the causeway onto the shore and oversee the distribution of aid. Once operational, the pier and causeway have the potential to provide up to 2 million meals per day for the people of Gaza.
The concept of a temporary pier was developed by an organization called Fogbow, which comprises former military, UN, USAID, and CIA personnel. The operation, internally referred to as the Blue Beach Plan, will be led by Fogbow, with support from Qatar. Qatar has committed $60 million to the maritime corridor initiative, which will involve transporting aid from the pier to the beach and facilitating distribution.
While the US is in talks with other organizations about potential involvement in the project, no formal agreements have been reached yet. One of the challenges that remains is determining who will receive and distribute the aid on the Gaza side of the causeway. As the White House has ruled out putting American boots on the ground in Gaza, humanitarian implementers and local Palestinians, under the direction of the UN, are expected to handle aid distribution.
To ensure security, all ships coming to the floating pier will undergo screening before offloading their cargo. Additionally, a pilot program for a maritime corridor, spearheaded by the United Arab Emirates and developed in collaboration with World Central Kitchen, is set to begin aid deliveries this weekend. However, this program only involves one smaller amphibious ship and is separate from Biden’s announcement.
The decision to establish a maritime corridor gained momentum as it became evident that humanitarian aid was not being delivered quickly enough through existing land crossings into Gaza. The Biden administration’s efforts to pressure Israel into opening additional crossings had limited success until recently. In February, protests at the Kerem Shalom crossing led to a significant decrease in the number of trucks passing through.
The urgency of the situation was further highlighted when more than a hundred people were killed during an incident where Israeli troops opened fire on a food convoy in the north. Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the incident and called on Israel to increase aid to Gaza.
In response, the Israeli government announced the establishment of a new land crossing into northern Gaza, which will allow aid to flow directly to the population in need. However, details about the location of this crossing have not been disclosed. The UN’s senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, emphasized that relying on one or two crossings alone would not be sufficient to address the crisis effectively.
As discussions continue and plans evolve, it is clear that the construction of the floating pier and causeway represents a significant step towards providing essential aid to the people of Gaza. The involvement of the US military, Fogbow, and international partners demonstrates a collective commitment to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in the region.
