U.S. Military Plans Floating Pier to Deliver Aid to Starving Palestinians in Gaza
In a bid to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza without deploying American personnel directly into the war zone, the U.S. military has announced plans to build a floating pier off Gaza’s coastline. The Pentagon estimates that this floating structure will enable the delivery of 2 million meals daily to Palestinians facing starvation.
The construction of the offshore pier and causeway connecting it to land is expected to take up to 60 days and will require approximately 1,000 U.S. troops, according to Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary. President Biden unveiled this initiative during his State of the Union address, as hopes for another cease-fire in Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas continue to diminish.
The need for this floating structure arises from the political obstacles that have hindered efforts to provide humanitarian aid to those trapped by the fighting. Although Israel’s deep-water port at Ashdod is less than 25 miles away from Gaza, Israeli officials have refused to open its northern border crossing. As a result, Egypt’s El Arish port has become a crucial arrival point for assistance. However, all shipments must go through a time-consuming process of loading onto trucks that travel to an Israeli inspection site before being unloaded and reloaded again to join a long line of vehicles waiting to enter the Palestinian territory.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with more than a quarter of the enclave’s population—about 576,000 people—on the brink of famine, according to United Nations officials. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 20 people have already died from malnutrition and dehydration. Recognizing the urgent need for relief, Maj. Gen. Ryder described this mission as an “emergency mission” that is still being finalized.
The operation will involve the participation of U.S. troops, including the Army’s 7th Transportation Brigade based in Virginia. It will include the construction of a floating pier at sea, allowing ships to deliver aid. The aid will then be loaded onto Navy support vessels and offloaded onto a floating causeway. This two-lane causeway, measuring approximately 1,800 feet in length, will be steered onto a landing site ashore and secured to the ground by non-U.S. personnel. Trucks will then access the causeway to pick up and transport the aid.
The United States is coordinating with other countries in the region, the United Nations, and humanitarian groups to determine how the aid will be distributed once it arrives on land. American personnel will remain either on the causeway or on the ships, ensuring their safety. While there is a possibility that Hamas fighters may target U.S. forces operating offshore, Maj. Gen. Ryder expressed hope that this international mission to deliver aid to those in need would proceed unhindered if Hamas truly cares about the Palestinian people.
President Biden has assured that Israel will provide security for this effort, and the military units involved will have their own force-protection capabilities. Aid will be routed through Cyprus, where it will undergo inspection by Israel before being delivered to Gaza.
Deliveries of non-U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea are expected to begin this weekend, according to a senior European official. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that the besieged enclave faces a “catastrophe.” World Central Kitchen, a relief group founded by chef José Andrés, is providing food aid for this mission.
While this floating pier operation aims to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, several logistical and security challenges are expected. Jamie McGoldrick, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, raised concerns about how the aid will be distributed once it arrives at the harbor and how it will reach its intended recipients. Relief efforts in Gaza are already stretched thin, with shortages of trucks and fuel. Additionally, the roads are not fully operational, and congestion makes it difficult to navigate through the crowds.
The decision to build a floating pier highlights the limitations of airdropping aid, which is a complex and potentially dangerous mission for civilians on the ground. On Friday, five people were killed and 12 injured in Gaza after a loaded crate fell due to an apparent parachute malfunction. However, Maj. Gen. Ryder disputed reports that a U.S. aircraft was responsible for the incident, stating that all aid bundles landed safely on the ground.
The United States will continue to take precautions to reduce risks during aid drops, such as limiting pallet weight, identifying drop zones with fewer people, and sending messages to civilians before initiating the drops.
As this ambitious operation unfolds, it is hoped that it will provide much-needed relief to the Palestinians in Gaza who are suffering from starvation and malnutrition. The success of this mission will depend on effective coordination between the United States, other countries in the region, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations.
