On March 10th, the U.S. Army verified with Central Command (CENTCOM) that a ship had been sent to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza. This comes after President Biden pledged to construct a temporary dock.
The construction equipment-laden General Frank S. Besson departed from Virginia en route to the Mediterranean.
The U.S. Army has access to the biggest motorized watercraft, the logistical support vessel (LSV). The Army can transport vehicles and supplies strategically across the world. The ships can beach themselves and include ramps at the bow and stern.
With the assistance of 1,000 troops—none of whom would set foot on shore—the Pentagon estimated that the pier’s construction might take as long as 60 days.
The European Union, the US, and the UAE are among many nations supporting the maritime corridor. The European Commission said the Red Cross and UN organizations would be involved.
The Spanish humanitarian organization Open Arms plans to send a ship with 200 tons of provisions on a trial run via the passage shortly.
Whether U.S. forces would be sent to assist in completing the infrastructure remained unclear. According to one source, a U.S. ground force isn’t the intention. Yet, the U.S. Army had estimated that 2,000 soldiers would be needed for such a mission.
At the start of the war, Gaza’s modest port was damaged. Hamas used it to initiate the terrorist strikes against Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel has made it clear time and time again that the quantity of assistance that may reach Gaza is unlimited. What is restricting the UN’s ability to distribute the material is Hamas. The terrorist group often steals supplies.
Israel has said that it would welcome marine supplies and would inspect cargo intended for Gaza before it leaves a staging station near Cyprus.
According to officials from the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza, one humanitarian airdrop package failed to deploy correctly on March 8th, causing the death of five individuals in the Gaza Strip’s Al-Shati refugee camp.
The incident left five individuals dead and eleven others wounded. Two of the victims were children.
A U.S. military official reported that an early analysis found no link between the US airdrop and ground casualties, but further study was needed.