This is an important announcement, but details are few.
The timing reflects the urgency of the humanitarian situation but is also political.
Here's what we know so far.
President Biden He “directed” we A soldier to lead an emergency mission Create a port On the Gaza coast.
The word “lead” is important. He notes that other countries will participate.
Cyprus It will be the focal point for this mission and for the sealift of aid once it flows.
The island, which is located more than 200 miles northwest of Gaza, has a significant British military presence, so there may be British involvement in the aid operation.
“Port” is a somewhat misleading word to describe what the Americans intended to build.
It will take the form of a temporary dock or bridge that will allow aid to be unloaded from ships to trucks for distribution.
We were told that planning and implementation would take “several weeks” and that the forces required to complete the mission were either already in the area or would be moved there soon.
Palestinian children wait to receive food prepared by a charity kitchen amid food supply shortages in Rafah. Photo: Reuters
More importantly, American officials tell us that American forces will not be on the ground in Gaza.
A senior White House official said: “We are not planning for this to be an operation that requires US forces on the ground, but the issues around dates, timelines, etc. are all things we are working on.” .
“The concept that has been planned includes the presence of US military personnel on military vessels offshore, but does not require US military personnel to go ashore to install the pier or bridge facility that would allow humanitarian aid to be transported to shore.”
Parcels dropped by a military aircraft fall towards northern Gaza, as seen from Israel. Photo: Reuters
All of this leaves many questions unanswered and reveals profound failures in the diplomatic influence that the United States exercises over Israel.
Regarding the second point, firstly, the Israeli government agency responsible for the flow of cross-border aid into Gaza, which is the coordinator of government activities in the territories, He told Sky News It could open more land crossings, but “this must be a decision taken by the government, and if they make such a decision, we will find a way to facilitate their decision.”
He added: “If the guidance comes from [Israeli] The government, the coordinator of government activities in the regions will find a way to achieve this mission.”
This statement alone shows what the Israeli government can do but is unwilling to do, despite American pressure.
An American official said today that Israel has now agreed to open a crossing into northern Gaza.
However, there was pressure for several weeks without success. It is not clear when this crossing will be opened.
It is worth noting that Israel uses many crossings to transfer its military forces to and from Gaza.
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Gaza on the verge of a 'desperate situation'
On the first point, which is the unanswered questions, there are a lot of them.
Who will build the necessary infrastructure on the land end of the pier?
Who will distribute the aid after it is emptied?
Who will be able to control the crowds and prevent stampedes (which will be inevitable without significant security oversight over masses of desperate people)?
How long will all this take?
Read more:
US builds Gaza port while Palestinians starve – the latest war
Will famine be declared in Gaza?
The Iraqi president says the UK ignores the suffering of the Palestinians
As I mentioned at the beginning, there is a political dimension to all of this as well.
President Biden will announce this emergency mission in his annual State of the Union address in Washington tonight.
It is being described as a defining moment for him as he tries to confront significant criticism over his suitability to run for president again.
His polls are terrible. Gaza represents a major challenge for him. He has to show he has it under control.
Like last week's airdrop announcement, the port announcement represents a desperate political decision that President Biden hoped he would never have to make.
