A U.S.-built jetty has been set up to transport humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by sea, but whether this new route will work until supplies can reach starving Palestinians reliably remains to be seen. no one knows.
The truck falling from the pier project on Thursday comes amid escalating fighting, Hamas’ threats to target foreign forces, and whether the Israeli military will ensure aid convoys have access and security from attacks by Israeli troops. We will face uncertainty.
Temporary floating pier for Gaza aid completed, to be moved into position once weather improves: Department of Defense
The United States, United Nations and aid officials have warned that even if the sea route were to work as expected, it would only bring a fraction of the aid needed to the conflict-stricken enclave.
The future status of aid arriving by sea is as follows.
Will the sea route end the crisis in Gaza?
No, even if everything about the sea route worked out perfectly, U.S. and international officials say.
Images provided by U.S. Central Command show U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the 1st Amphibious Construction Battalion, setting up Trident Pier on the coast of the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The Israeli Defense Forces are shown in the photo. May 16, 2024. The temporary pier is part of the joint land logistics function. The U.S. military completed the installation of a floating pier on Thursday, and authorities prepared to begin transporting much-needed humanitarian aid to the enclave, which has seen seven months of intense fighting in the Israel-Hamas war. There is. (US Central Command via AP)
U.S. military officials hope to initially load 90 truckloads of aid per day via sea, then quickly expand to about 150 trucks per day.
U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power and other aid workers have consistently said that in Gaza, the pre-war average It has been stated that more than 500 trucks are required to make deliveries per day. between Israel and Hamas.
Since Hamas’ deadly attacks on Israel began the conflict in October, Israel has disrupted the delivery of food, fuel and other supplies by land. Restrictions on border crossings and fighting have increased the humanitarian devastation for civilians.
International experts say all 2.3 million Gazans are experiencing severe levels of food insecurity, with 1.1 million at “catastrophic” levels. Cindy McCain, director of electricity and the United Nations World Food Program, said northern Gaza was on the verge of starvation.
At that stage, USAID officials say a ceasefire is critical as steady clinical treatment is needed to save the lives of children and those most affected.
International officials say the route is expected to reach 500,000 people when it is fully operational. This is equivalent to just over one-fifth of the population.
What are the current route challenges?
Under the U.S. plan, the United Nations would be responsible for providing aid once it arrives. The United Nations World Food Program will then hand over the aid supplies to aid organizations for delivery.
U.N. officials have expressed concerns about maintaining neutrality despite the involvement of the Israeli military, one of the warring nations, in the sea route, and said they were negotiating about it. ing.
Sonali Kolde, assistant administrator for USAID’s Humanitarian Assistance Office, who supports logistics, said that how aid organizations work to safely distribute food to people in need in Gaza. He said he still had doubts.
The United States and international organizations, including the U.S. government’s USAID and non-profit organizations such as Oxfam, Save the Children, and the International Rescue Committee, are responding to the April 1 military crisis in which seven aid workers from the World Central Kitchen organization were killed. Israeli authorities say they have not meaningfully improved protection for aid workers since the attack. .
Korde told reporters on Thursday that talks with the Israeli army “need to reach a situation where humanitarian workers can operate safely and securely, and I don’t think we’re there yet.”
Meanwhile, fighting is intensifying in Gaza. Pentagon officials say the new coastline aid distribution area is not threatened, but the security situation could prompt closures of maritime routes, even temporarily. It’s clear.
Lt. Gen. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, said the U.S. and Israel have developed a security plan for humanitarian groups coming to pick up aid at a “railway” adjacent to the pier. Dan Diekhaus, USAID’s response director, said aid organizations follow their own safety protocols when distributing supplies.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces are stationed at a border crossing in the southern city of Rafah as part of the offensive, blocking the movement of fuel and other aid supplies.
UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said without fuel it would be impossible to deliver all aid to Gaza.
What is needed?
US President Joe Biden’s administration, the United Nations and aid groups are pressuring Israel to allow more aid by land crossing, saying it is the only way to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza. They also called on the Israeli military to actively work with aid organizations to thwart Israeli attacks on humanitarian workers.
“Releasing aid to people in need in Gaza and beyond cannot and must not rely on floating docks far from where the need is most acute,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq. told reporters Thursday.
“To prevent the threat of starvation, we must use the quickest and most obvious route to reach the people of Gaza, and for that we now need land access,” Haq said.
U.S. officials agree that building the pier is at best a partial solution and say they are looking to Israel for further solutions.
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What does Israel say?
Israel says it has no restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid and blames the United Nations for delays in distributing supplies to Gaza. The United Nations said ongoing fighting, fires in Israel and the chaotic security situation were hampering deliveries.
Under pressure from the United States, Israel opened two borders in recent weeks to allow aid to reach hard-hit northern Gaza. It said a series of Hamas attacks on the key crossing Kerem Shalom had disrupted the flow of goods.
