Biden orders establishment of temporary aid port in Gaza amid famine warnings

US President Joe Biden orders military to establish temporary port for relief delivery in Gaza due to growing humanitarian concerns and five months of fighting

In response to five months of fighting and growing hunger threats, US President Joe Biden has ordered the military to set up a temporary port for relief delivery in response to growing humanitarian concerns in the war-torn territory of Gaza, authorities revealed on Thursday. 

In an attempt to mediate a fresh ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in time for Ramadan, Hamas officials unexpectedly left negotiations with Egyptian mediators to confer with the organization’s leadership in Qatar. The health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza released a sobering report detailing 83 more deaths in the last day, increasing the total to a startling 30,800, most of them women and children.

Places like Jabalia, where Palestinians congregated to get food at a distribution center, serve as prime examples of the terrible situation on the ground. In the middle of the debris, Bassam al-Hou bemoaned the absence of basics, saying, “We don’t have any gas to cook our meals on. There is no rice or flour,” underscoring the impoverished circumstances encountered by several individuals, with accounts of kids starving to death.

In a keynote address to Congress, President Biden is anticipated to discuss the assistance efforts for Gaza, highlighting the growing political pressure in light of his administration’s unwavering support for Israel. Despite obstacles, US officials reaffirmed their resolve to accelerate supplies to Gaza, indicating a shift away from relying only on Israeli cooperation.

The planned assistance port, which is expected to begin operations in the next weeks, will not include US forces stationed on the ground; instead, military troops will hold their posts offshore while partners oversee activities onshore. A top government official said that the port’s centerpiece, a makeshift dock, should make it easier for hundreds of truckloads of desperately needed aid to arrive each day.

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, is expected to have discussions in Cyprus on the proposed maritime assistance corridor, which has been in the works for some months and is a vital lifeline for Gaza.

Amid the continued war, worries about a possible ceasefire in time for Ramadan are growing. A ceasefire proposal that called for the distribution of humanitarian supplies together with a short-term suspension of hostilities had been pushed by President Biden to be accepted by Hamas. However, the likelihood of an early deal is still doubtful given that Hamas has expressed discontent with Israeli replies and engaged in discussions.

The UN has issued severe warnings about the impending famine in Gaza, which is being made worse by significant infrastructure damage and running out of basic supplies, while discussions are still ongoing. The US military and its allies have recently launched supply airdrops, but groups like the World Food Programme warn that these actions could not be enough to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

Source: AFP