US military provides aid to Gaza via floating dock
On a sunny Thursday, a pier was established on the shores of Gaza, connecting it to some relief-filled land. This move comes amidst heightened tensions and the closing off of all other border crossings, resulting in an impending humanitarian crisis within.
The $320 million project, undertaken by the US, is presented as a purely humanitarian effort. It's stated that an array of countries and organizations have donated the necessary resources for this cause. Military presence from the US was not involved in this aid mission as per a statement from CENTCOM.
In a methodical manner, assistance arrives from abroad to Cyprus, follows ships to a floating platform near the Gaza coast before eventually being carried by trucks onto the pier. Initially, the goal is to enact a daily operation of 500 tons of humanitarian aid, which translates into roughly 90 trucks. With time, this number will likely increase to 150 trucks daily.
In concert with growing urgency, the US plans to create a marine channel when the Rafah border, the single thoroughfare for travel between Gaza and Egypt, has remained shut for nearly a week and thus obstructing the flow of assistance needed.
The US Department of State brought attention to the plight on Sunday when it reported only 50 aid vehicles managed to make it into Gaza, a sharp decline from the hundreds seen in past days. The officials reiterated that this is not nearly enough.
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The US aid to Gaza is not limited to the Middle East, as resources for this project have been donated by various countries and organizations worldwide. The Middle East and the world are watching closely as the US attempts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with the US planning to create a marine channel once the Rafah border remains shut for an extended period.
Source: edition.cnn.com
