US Military ship heading towards Gaza for port construction initiative

• The move follows President Joe Biden’s announcement to build a floating harbor for aid delivery into Gaza.
• The UN warns of “almost inevitable” famine in Gaza, with children starving to death.
• The Pentagon estimates it could take up to 60 days to build the pier with 1,000 troops’ assistance.

The army announces that a US military ship is sailing towards the Middle East, carrying equipment to construct a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza. The support ship, General Frank S Besson, departed from a military base in the state of Virginia on Saturday.

This action follows President Joe Biden’s declaration that the US would build the floating harbor to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza by sea. The UN has issued a warning, stating that famine in the Gaza Strip is “almost inevitable,” with children starving to death.

Deliveries of aid by land and air have presented challenges and dangers. The World Food Programme had to halt land deliveries after its convoys faced gunfire and looting. Additionally, on Friday, reports emerged of five casualties resulting from a falling aid package due to a malfunctioning parachute.

Less than 36 hours after Mr. Biden made his announcement, the US ship departed, as stated by US Central Command.

The statement continued, indicating that it is “carrying the first equipment to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies” to Gaza.

The Pentagon has stated that it could take up to 60 days to build the pier with the assistance of 1,000 troops – none of whom would go ashore.

Charities have stated that those suffering in Gaza cannot wait that long.

Meanwhile, according to reports from Cypriot media, an aid ship laden with approximately 200 tonnes of food is expected to set sail from a port in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Sunday afternoon.

This action follows an EU announcement that opened a new sea route over the weekend to allow aid to sail directly from Cyprus – the closest EU country to Gaza.

The ship, Open Arms, belongs to the Spanish charity of the same name, and the food on board has been provided by the US charity World Central Kitchen.

However, it remains unclear how any aid delivered by sea would safely reach the shore before the US pier is built. Gaza lacks a functioning port, and its surrounding waters are too shallow for large vessels.

Oscar Camps, the founder of Open Arms, informed the Associated Press that at the destination point – which remains undisclosed – a team from the World Central Kitchen has been constructing a pier to receive the aid.

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