US President Joe Biden is set to announce to Congress tonight that he has ordered the US military to build a port in Gaza to bring more humanitarian aid by sea to the besieged Palestinian enclave, a senior official said.
“Tonight, the president will announce in his State of the Union address that he has ordered the military to undertake an emergency mission to build a port in Gaza,” the source told reporters. The project will be carried out in cooperation with “like-minded countries and humanitarian partners”, added an official quoted by Reuters.
The port, which will be temporary, will increase the volume of humanitarian aid destined for Palestinians in the war zone, with “hundreds of additional cargoes” arriving daily. The official noted that the US will coordinate security issues with Israel.
They will also work with the UN and humanitarian aid organizations that “understand how aid is distributed in Gaza,” he continued, clarifying that the first supplies would come from Cyprus.
This mission will not require the deployment of ground troops, but American soldiers will remain on ships off the coast of Gaza. The construction of the port will take a few weeks to complete.
US officials also said Hamas is delaying a new deal with Israel to release the hostages because it has not agreed to release sick and elderly hostages.
Source: RES-MPE
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