Is President Biden’s pier plan for Gaza aid theater? 

Last month, the U.S. military sent a convoy to fulfill President Biden’s pledge. Establish an aid port in Gaza. Once they set sail, the Congress leaders began. express reservations About his plans.

Congress and the American people are rightly concerned about the plight facing the two million coastal residents. Trapped in the ongoing conflict, they are effectively hostages to Hamas’s desperate efforts to maintain power and avoid destruction by Israeli forces. But Congress is also concerned about the potential for a fiasco once the ship arrives.

They are right to be. Even as aid arrives in Gaza, logistics workers face significant risks due to the ongoing fighting and Palestinian desperation.It is reported that assistance is also being provided. Stolen by Hamasfighter and profiting from the black market Rather than feeding starving Palestinians in Gaza.

This is not surprising. Despite having ruled Gaza for more than a decade and a half, Hamas has made it clear through his own actions that he does not consider the well-being of civilians to be his responsibility.They even told us this clearly. Even Palestinians are increasingly recognizing this fact. That makes it all the more surprising that it is so little mentioned by the administration and other world leaders who are calling for more aid. One would think, listening to them, that the only obstacle would be getting it to Gaza, and then everything would be resolved. However, this ignores the “last mile” issue of how aid gets to the recipients. Call it fixated on “getting aid to Gaza” rather than actually helping Palestinians in Gaza.

This problem will not be solved just because aid is delivered by sea. Rather, it increases the difficulty. As House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Delaware) pointed out, how the operation will be conducted and who will conduct it are unclear. There doesn’t seem to be a plan. You can also run them once the pier is ready. Moreover, how can we ensure that aid is not simply given to Hamas or stolen by Hamas minutes after the recipient leaves?

Kuhn is also highlighted elephant in the room -Safe. It is impossible to predict how distribution efforts will turn out. But it would be remiss to assume that there is no risk of riot, disorder, or even deliberate attack. And as we saw at the Red Sea, Ships are attractive targets.

We should also be prepared for Hamas attempts to orchestrate mutual shooting incidents between Israeli forces and aid distribution personnel. Hamas’ strategy is to induce Israel to inflict civilian casualties and negative publicity by launching attacks in sensitive or populated areas such as hospitals, UNRWA facilities, and schools. is the core of And they are good at it, as evidenced by the fact that by calling for a cease-fire, they succeeded in convincing most of the world’s democracies to tacitly side with them. I am.

None of these challenges are insurmountable. But it involves accepting significant risks and planning for likely outcomes and responses. Unfortunately, the administration’s approach to the conflict increasingly emphasizes short-term measures that please progressives while ignoring their consequences.warn Israel Don’t attack Rafa.Under press Toward a ceasefire. These may sound great, but if you think a little deeper, you realize that all of this means leaving Hamas as a viable force in Gaza.

Vague assurances that there is a plan for all this are unconvincing, especially given the administration’s track record. Mr. Biden would do well to ponder Kabul as he embarks on a complex new military operation. His presidency began with a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. He should be wary of ending it with a similarly tragic invasion of Gaza.

As our nation’s ships and the troops aboard them cross the Atlantic, Mr. Biden needs to make sure Congress has answers to the questions it is posing. Palestinians in Gaza need real aid. Without a distribution solution, this risks becoming a reckless PR stunt that could end up resupplying Hamas. Moreover, he is sending American troops into chaotic and crowded battlefields. There must be a solid plan for what will happen when they get there. Because one thing is certain: Hamas will get it.

Dan Nides served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2005 to 2012 and was deployed to Iraq twice. He has also published several other articles on national security.