US ship en route to Gaza with pier-building gear to boost aid

A U.S. Army ship, laden with materials for constructing a temporary dock in Gaza, embarked towards the Mediterranean, following President Joe Biden’s announcement to enhance aid deliveries by sea to the beleaguered region, where a vast number of Palestinians face hunger. This development, along with aerial aid from the U.S., Jordan, and others, signifies a growing concern for Gaza’s humanitarian situation and a readiness to circumvent Israeli restrictions on land shipments.

Israel has expressed its approval for these sea deliveries, agreeing to inspect cargos bound for Gaza from Cyprus beforehand. Despite this, the volume of aid entering Gaza via land has been significantly less than the pre-war figures, due to Israeli constraints and security concerns.

Amidst this backdrop, Biden has escalated his critique of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy in the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, highlighting the adverse impact on Israel and the need to safeguard innocent lives.

In recent developments, the Palestinian casualty count has continued to climb, with new incidents reported in Gaza City and Deir al-Balah, resulting in numerous deaths, including women and children.

Israel maintains that Hamas bears responsibility for civilian casualties, citing the group’s operations within civilian locales. The Health Ministry in Gaza, operated by the Hamas-led government, reports over 31,000 Palestinian deaths since the conflict’s inception, with a significant portion being women and children. These figures are in line with previous counts by the U.N. and independent analysts.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is advancing efforts to operationalize the temporary pier in Gaza for sea deliveries, with the U.S. Central Command disclosing the deployment of the General Frank S. Besson from Virginia towards the Eastern Mediterranean with the necessary construction equipment. It’s anticipated that the pier will take weeks to become functional.

The initiative for the sea corridor, supported by the EU, the U.S., the UAE, and other nations, aims to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza, with U.N. agencies and the Red Cross involved. An aid ship from Spain’s Open Arms is set to make a trial journey, demonstrating international efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza amidst the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The conflict, which escalated following a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, displacing a vast majority of its population and severely hampering access to essential supplies. Despite mediation efforts for a ceasefire ahead of Ramadan, negotiations have been hindered, with Hamas seeking guarantees for an end to hostilities.