The United States is set to deliver aid to Gaza through a military pier in the coming days, as confirmed by a Pentagon spokesperson. A barge carrying humanitarian aid from Cyprus will be staging aid in the eastern Mediterranean on Thursday. This aid will be transferred to another ship, the M/V Roy P. Benavidez, currently stationed off the coast of Gaza. The US military pier, known as JLOTS, has been fully constructed and is ready to facilitate the aid delivery.
Earlier this year, the US, UK, and European leaders collaborated to establish maritime routes for delivering relief into Gaza. Israeli restrictions on aid entering the strip had led to critical supply shortages. Land crossings into Gaza have been heavily restricted by Israeli forces since October 7, with aid agencies criticizing the arbitrary and obstructive criteria imposed by Israel. Human rights organizations have urgently called for the lifting of controls on land crossings into Gaza to ensure the flow of essential relief.
Israel maintains that there is no limit on the amount of aid that can enter Gaza. However, the stringent inspection process has resulted in minimal relief reaching the war-torn territory, leaving Palestinians at risk of starvation. The barge carrying aid is currently in the Port of Ashdod in Israel, awaiting favorable sea conditions to proceed to the eastern Mediterranean for the aid transfer.
The M/V Roy P. Benavidez, contracted by the US military, has been supporting the maritime corridor effort in the region since last month. The aid delivery efforts aim to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and provide much-needed support to the population in the conflict-affected area.
