The U.S. military said Sunday that a ship carrying equipment to build a floating pier on the coast of the Gaza Strip has set sail, as part of the Biden administration's efforts to deliver aid by sea to the enclave and alleviate the hunger crisis. .
The administration's plans for the pier and causeway announced last week could ultimately help provide up to 2 million meals a day to Gazans. But the Pentagon says the project will take weeks to complete, and humanitarian officials have criticized the plan, saying it would be far more efficient to deliver aid by truck.
The U.S. military announced Sunday that the USS General Frank S. Besson left its base near Norfolk, Virginia, the day before.
“The logistics support ship Besson is carrying the first equipment to set up a temporary pier to deliver critical humanitarian supplies,” it said in a social media post.
The Pentagon announced that the Army's 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) will be one of the primary forces involved in constructing the floating pier, and approximately 1,000 U.S. military personnel will be involved in its completion.
Israeli military spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said Saturday that the Israeli military would help coordinate the installation of the pier. He said the shipments would be inspected by the Israeli military before being handed over to aid organizations for distribution.
The US project is the latest in a series of efforts to get more aid to the enclave, including by sea, amid United Nations warnings of impending famine in Gaza.
Diplomats and officials say such a plan would pose significant logistical challenges and high costs. Aid workers say trucks are the most efficient and cheapest way to deliver food and supplies to Gaza, and have called on Israel to open more border crossings and ease entry restrictions.
Britain, the European Union and the United Arab Emirates announced Friday they would join a separate maritime initiative to get aid to Gaza.
And on Saturday, World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit founded by renowned Spanish chef Jose Andres, announced that its staff had loaded 200 tons of rice, flour and protein onto a cargo ship in Cyprus. . It added that the ship will leave Larnaca, Cyprus as soon as possible, heading for an estimated 60-hour journey to the Gaza Strip.
The ship, called Open Arms, is owned by the Spanish aid organization of the same name, which is a partner in the effort along with the United Arab Emirates. They are attempting to transport food and humanitarian supplies to Gaza by sea for the first time.
helen cooper, Gaya gupta and aaron boxerman Contributed to the report.
