4 Ships Carrying 100 U.S. Troops & Equipment Depart For Gaza To Build Temporary Port

Four ships carrying around 100 American soldiers sailed from Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia on Tuesday, marking a crucial step to support humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. This is an essential first step in building a makeshift pier off the coast of Gaza to enable the delivery of much-needed supplies in this deployment.

The convoy, led by the Logistics Support Vessel USAV SP4 James A. Loux, is anticipated to arrive at the port in eastern Mediterranean waters in around 30 days. This mission aligns with President Joe Biden’s recent declaration in his State of the Union speech, which emphasized the U.S. commitment to aiding Gaza.

The temporary pier is intended to enable the movement of humanitarian aid from larger ships to smaller ships for onshore distribution. It is expected to be operational within sixty days. When fully operational, the dock will be able to offload up to two million meals or bottles of water every day, according to U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Brad Hinson.

President Biden emphasized that this program does not include “boots on the ground” in Gaza. Nonetheless, American forces will play a significant role in the building process; 500 soldiers from the 7th Transportation Battalion (Expeditionary) will be involved in the project.

Israel is scheduled to assist in anchoring the pier, and security plans for the temporary port have been laid out. Brig. Gen. Hinson said that the operation will receive the required backing, even if specifics about the security measures are still being withheld.

Humanitarian groups are also increasing aid deliveries to Gaza. World Central Kitchen is leading a test project to ship food supplies across the Mediterranean Sea, working with the United Arab Emirates and the Foreign Ministry of Cyprus. Early on Tuesday, a ship loaded with about 200 tons of food sailed from the Cyprus port of Larnaca, highlighting the coordinated efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Despite the difficulties caused by the ongoing conflicts and logistical constraints, stakeholders remain committed to providing critical help to the Gaza people.

Reference: jns.org, rfi.fr

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Source: Maritime Shipping News