U.S. officials have confirmed that the Israeli military will provide security for the "temporary" port that the United States will build on the coast of the Gaza Strip to transport humanitarian aid by sea. The officials stated to "Politico" that Israel will be responsible for securing the site where a team of Americans will be present to unload and distribute humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
American sources clarified that this plan is still "under discussion" and has not yet been approved. It is possible that a third country may provide security assistance, depending on the exact location of the facility along the coast. Officials mentioned that the Israeli military will also be responsible for securing the distance between the port and the shore.
An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper that the military would "definitely coordinate with the U.S. military in implementing the project," without disclosing further details. The U.S. military is rapidly moving to execute President Joe Biden's directive to establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast for delivering aid to more than 2 million people trapped in the region.
Shortly after President Biden instructed the Department of Defense (Pentagon) to begin constructing the aid port, a large gray ship known as a logistics support vessel slowly departed from the dock at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. It is followed by three smaller ships that will also embark on a journey of approximately 30 days to the Eastern Mediterranean with the mission of building the port—as part of U.S. efforts to enhance aid to Gaza while Israel interrupts overland aid deliveries.
The new facility, which will consist of a maritime platform for transferring aid from larger to smaller vessels and a dock to bring it to shore, is expected to be operational "within 60 days," according to Army Brigadier General Brad Hinson.
