As global pressure mounts on Israel to allow more supplies into Gaza amid ongoing conflict with Palestinian militants Hamas and the looming threat of famine, aid deliveries have commenced at a U.S.-built pier off the coast of the besieged enclave.
Installed on Thursday at the shoreline of Gaza, the temporary floating pier, pre-assembled at the Israeli port of Ashdod, serves as a vital entry point for aid into Gaza, which lacks its own port infrastructure.
“This is part of a continuous, multinational effort to provide additional aid to Palestinian civilians, involving contributions from various countries and humanitarian organizations,” stated the Central Command in a release.
Following extensive negotiations, the United Nations has agreed to oversee aid coordination and distribution at the floating dock, contingent upon the operation upholding the principles of neutrality and independence in humanitarian operations, according to deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq.
While the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza criticized the U.S. initiative as an attempt to improve its image, Hamas itself emphasized the insufficiency of the pier in addressing Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, calling for increased aid shipments via land routes.
Expressing concerns about deliberate policies of starvation and blockade, Hamas held both the Israeli occupation and the U.S. administration responsible for exacerbating the situation in Gaza.
Despite the introduction of the floating dock, the U.N. reiterated the importance of land-based aid deliveries as the most effective means of combating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, underscoring the need for increased assistance through existing land crossings.
Aid transported to the pier originates from a maritime corridor from Cyprus, subject to inspection by Israeli authorities before offloading. Britain announced its delivery of the first aid shipment via the pier on Friday.
With the operation estimated to cost $320 million and involve 1,000 U.S. troops, aid organizations, the United Nations, and Israel’s allies have all called for intensified efforts to alleviate the dire situation in Gaza, which has been further compounded by recent upheavals and displacement.
