The United States announced a proposal to establish a temporary port to deliver aid to Gaza while the land crossings continue to be closed (Reuters)

The United States announced on Sunday that it would send a ship to the eastern Mediterranean, to provide humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, which is besieged by Israel.

The US Central Command said in a statement that the US Army ship "General Frank S. Beeson" left Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia on its way to the eastern Mediterranean, to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.

The statement added that the logistical support ship "Bison" left "less than 36 hours after President Joe Biden announced that the United States would provide humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea."

The ship "carries the first equipment to establish a temporary dock for the delivery of vital humanitarian supplies," the statement said.

Biden had announced during his State of the Union address last Thursday that he had issued instructions to the US Army to establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast, while the 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip continue to suffer as a result of the siege, the devastating Israeli war, and the specter of famine and malnutrition, which have left more than 25 martyrs to date. .

Criticisms

The American newspaper "The New York Times" quoted diplomats and relief officials as talking about "tremendous challenges" facing efforts to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza by sea.

The newspaper said that the construction of the floating port and shipping expenses would cost tens of millions of dollars over several months, noting that it is not clear who will undertake management and insurance.

Humanitarian work experts and officials in international organizations also criticized the American plan to establish this corridor, and said that it diverts attention from the real crisis in Gaza. UN bodies and humanitarian organizations also criticized the step of airdropping aid into the Gaza Strip, as they considered it limited in size, in addition to what it might cause. There is chaos in it.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies