A U.S. Navy ship involved in a U.S.-led effort to deliver more aid to the besieged Gaza Strip is currently off the coast of the enclave and is building a floating platform for the operation, according to analysis. from satellite photographs taken on Monday The Associated Press.
So far, neither the U.S. Navy nor Israeli authorities have responded to requests for comment on the location of the Benavidez. However, both parties have indicated that they hope to have the mobile platform installed and operations underway by early May.
Details of the United States plan
According to the US military’s plan, the aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus and headed to the floating platform currently being built off Gaza. From there, supplies will be transferred to trucks, which will then be loaded onto smaller vessels to finally reach a two-lane floating causeway. This causeway, with a length of 550 meters (1,800 feet), will lead to the coast.
Currently, there are Israeli military positions on both sides of the pier. Initially, this pier was built as part of an effort led by World Central Kitchen, using the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israel. However, this project was halted after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers on April 1 while they were traveling in clearly marked vehicles on an Israeli-sanctioned delivery mission. The organization has announced that it is resuming its work in Gaza.
Israel seeks to continue delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza
Aid delivery to Gaza has faced delays, with long lines of trucks waiting for Israeli inspections. In addition to sea transportation, the United States and other nations have also used airdrops to send food to Gaza. It is estimated that initially around 90 trucks per day will be sent via the sea route, with the potential to quickly increase to around 150 trucks per day.
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of another 250 hostage, Israel has restricted or sharply cut off the entry of food, water, medicine, electricity and other aid to the Gaza Strip. Despite pressure from the United States and other countries, Israel says the situation is improving, although United Nations agencies have stated that much more help is needed.
On the other hand, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas political official, told The Associated Press that the group would consider Israeli forces – or any other country – stationed next to the pier to protect it as “a force of occupation and aggression.” , and that the group would resist such presences. In this sense, on Wednesday there was a mortar attack directed at the port site, although fortunately no injuries were reported.
Source: Associated Press
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