The United States has announced that it will soon begin construction of a floating port off the coast of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged and devastated Palestinian territory, which has been affected by the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas for over six months. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters that ships carrying the necessary equipment to build this floating port and its associated pier have arrived in the Mediterranean Sea. He added, "All necessary ships are in the Mediterranean and are ready" to carry out this mission. He continued, "We can start the construction process very soon."
Gaza, a narrow coastal strip densely populated, has been subjected to unprecedented bombardment by Israeli forces, which have invaded most of the area as part of their war to eliminate Hamas. In early March, U.S. President Joe Biden announced this project for the first time. Biden stated that he directed the U.S. military to build this floating port to deliver aid to the region by sea after Israel had obstructed land deliveries.
The project consists of a temporary floating maritime port that allows large ships, whether military or civilian, to dock and unload their cargo, transferring it to smaller vessels that can deliver the aid to a pier connected to the coast. U.S. officials emphasized that building this port does not require the presence of any American soldiers on the ground in the Palestinian territory; however, U.S. troops will be present during the construction of the port near the territory, an operation that will ensure its security by Israeli forces.
