A U.S.-made pier meant to transport food to Gaza is now in jeopardy. Humanitarian partners are in a tough spot, deciding whether to continue delivering supplies to starving Palestinians by boat.
Context
The pier was initially planned as an alternative to the current blockade of Gaza and the ongoing Israel conflict. Valued at $230 million, the project proposed in March by Joe Biden aimed to provide aid to Gaza through a different route. However, security concerns and storm damage have caused intermittent operations.
Due to challenging conditions in the Eastern Mediterranean, the U.S. Military is considering dismantling a humanitarian pier off the Gaza coast for the second week in a row.
What We Know
Following an Israeli raid on June 8, which resulted in the deaths of more than 270 Palestinians and raised concerns about neutrality and safety, the U.N. World Food Program has stopped using the pier.
Although the U.S. Army and Israeli military deny using the pier in the raid, the incident prompted the U.N. to suspend cooperation pending a security assessment.
This event has raised questions regarding aid workers’ independence while collaborating with a project supported by the U.S. and Israeli military. Aid workers fear being perceived as allies and becoming targets.
Martin Griffiths, the U.N.’s chief humanitarian officer, emphasized the need for a thorough evaluation. “We must proceed cautiously in making decisions,” he told AP.
Views
Many have criticized the suspension. Suze Van Meegen, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council operations in Gaza, expressed concerns that humanitarian aid had been politicized, irrespective of the pier’s actual use for military purposes.
Oxfam International and other organizations seeking aid from the U.S. Government have requested clarity on the Pier’s usage and agreements with the U.N. Oxfam’s Scott Paul highlighted the project’s credibility lies in following protocols, especially in areas exempt from military activities.
What’s Next
With the U.N. reassessing the situation, the fate of the U.S.-built pier in Gaza hangs in the balance. Sustaining operations at the pier is crucial in the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The international community closely monitors whether the U.N. will resume cooperation.
For now, aid remains stacked near the pier and the beach. The Biden administration has urged Israel to relax restrictions at land crossings to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.
The U.N. issued a warning that if the conflict persists, over half a million Palestinians in Gaza could face severe hunger by mid-July.
Aid to Palestinian Territories from the U.N. has taken a hit since Israel’s offensive in Rafah (south Gaza), the primary entry point from Egypt.
Currently, about 677,000 Gaza residents are in Phase 5 hunger, on the brink of famine, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. The U.N. estimates this number could exceed a million by next month, affecting nearly half of Gaza’s population.
Reports indicate families in Northern Gaza surviving on bread due to drastic shortages of essential food items, prompting one resident to lament, “We’re being starved. The world has forgotten us.”
WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, warned of a worsening situation in Gaza, with over 8,000 children under five receiving treatment for acute malnutrition. Since the conflict began, children have tragically succumbed to malnutrition.