US Military Announces Floating Dock Will Soon Deliver Aid to Gaza
The United States military has announced that a temporary aid pier in Gaza, previously damaged by bad weather, has been reinstalled. Humanitarian assistance is expected to begin flowing through the floating dock in the "coming days."
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on Friday that the pier will facilitate the delivery of "much-needed humanitarian aid" to Gaza, a region nearing famine due to a severe blockade by Israel, a top US ally receiving significant aid from Washington.
"In coming days, CENTCOM will facilitate the movement of vital food and other emergency supplies, in support of the US Agency for International Development," the US military said in a social media post.
Aid organizations have criticized the US pier as an ineffective method for delivering aid, arguing it cannot replace the need for opening land routes that Israel has blocked or severely restricted. In late May, 20 aid organizations, including Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders, described the dock as a "cosmetic change" failing to address the crisis adequately.
"As Israeli attacks intensify on Rafah, the unpredictable trickle of aid into Gaza has created a mirage of improved access while the humanitarian response is in reality on the verge of collapse," the groups said in a statement.
Critics argue that the $230 million pier symbolizes the failures and contradictions of US policy in Gaza. President Joe Biden's administration denies that Israel is blocking aid while urging more assistance to be allowed into the territory. The US also provides Israel with significant military aid, which includes weapons that have resulted in civilian casualties.
Biden announced plans for the pier in his State of the Union Address in March, stating it would "receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelter." Completed in mid-May, the pier faced immediate challenges, with waves damaging supporting vessels and the pier itself requiring repairs.
 |
| The Israeli blockade has brought Gaza to the brink of famine [File: Eyad Baba/AFP] |
The pier is set to be operational again, as Israel continues to block the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, previously a crucial route for aid. Another major issue exacerbating Gaza's humanitarian crisis is the difficulty of distributing aid once it arrives. Israel has reportedly killed more than 200 humanitarian workers since the war began, according to Save the Children.
In April, an Israeli air raid killed seven World Central Kitchen workers delivering aid in Gaza, causing global outrage. Despite this, Biden has resisted calls to restrict or condition military aid to Israel, often reaffirming his "ironclad" commitment to the US ally.
Recently, Israel has killed dozens of Palestinians at UN schools in Gaza serving as shelters. An Al Jazeera visual analysis found that US weapons were used in an Israeli strike that killed at least 40 people at a school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
On Friday, Hamas accused Israel of committing "genocide" against Palestinians with US support. "The administration of US President Joe Biden bears full responsibility for these ongoing crimes by continuing to supply the fascist entity with weapons and munitions, as well as political and diplomatic support," Hamas said in a statement.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment