The U.S. military finished installing a floating pier for the Gaza Strip on Thursday, with officials poised to begin ferrying badly needed humanitarian aid into the enclave besieged over seven months of intense fighting in the Israel-Hamas war.

The final, overnight construction sets up a complicated delivery process more than two months after U.S. President Joe Biden ordered it to help Palestinians facing starvation as food and other supplies fail to make it in as Israel recently seized the key Rafah border crossing in its push on that southern city on the Egyptian border.

Fraught with logistical, weather and security challenges, the maritime route is designed to bolster the amount of aid getting into the Gaza Strip, but it is not considered a substitute for far cheaper land-based deliveries that aid agencies say are much more sustainable. The boatloads of aid will be deposited at a port facility built by the Israelis just southwest of Gaza City and then distributed by aid groups.

  • @ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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    16 months ago

    It wouldn’t be just delivering aid. Once the military is there it’s a military operation. Their goal can be protecting aid, but that also means they likely have to fire on hamas raids, or even the Israel army at some point and either case is bad for everyone.

    • @disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      In that case the best they could do is escort wherever legally possible to maintain it as delivery of aid while still offering protection. Do you have a source that explains the designation for military operation if the military delivers aid?

      • @girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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        06 months ago

        Do you have a source that explains the designation for military operation if the military delivers aid?

        You won’t find any because no one wants to get near having their military force in Israel for any reason. It’s political suicide (not to mention the fact America’s armed forces are already short personnel).

        • @disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          06 months ago

          Again, the US military is already facilitating the transport for the aid. It’s being delivered by a humanitarian organization, with the help of the US military.

          Also, the US armed forces have not left Israel. They have maintained consistent presence since the early ‘90s. The only two active military installations in Israel are American bases.