President Biden has made a historic decision to order the U.S. military to build a floating pier off the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid to civilians amidst the ongoing conflict. This move marks a new phase in the United States’ history of providing humanitarian relief, as it is rare for the U.S. to offer such services to people who are being bombed with tacit U.S. support.
The floating pier idea came after President Biden authorized humanitarian airdrops for Gaza, which were criticized as inadequate by relief experts. The decision to build a floating pier demonstrates a commitment to providing aid to the besieged territory, where residents are on the brink of starvation.
The U.S. military, including the Army Corps of Engineers and the Seventh Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), is involved in the construction of the floating pier. An Army ship, the General Frank S. Besson, has set sail from a base near Norfolk, Va., carrying equipment to build the pier on Gaza’s coast.
The floating pier will allow for the delivery of “upward of two million meals a day” to the 2.3 million people living in the Gaza Strip. While the airdrops and floating pier are seen as temporary solutions, the United States is working with regional partners and European allies to build a corridor for more sustainable aid delivery.
Despite the challenges and limitations of delivering aid by sea, the U.S. military is determined to provide assistance to those in need. The aid will be distributed in part by the nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by Spanish chef José Andrés, who has served millions of meals in Gaza.
While the temporary port will initially be military-run, there are plans for it to eventually be commercially operated. The central problems of delivering aid in Gaza remain unsolved, but the U.S. military’s efforts to provide humanitarian relief in the midst of conflict are a significant step towards alleviating the suffering of civilians in the region.
