The United States is preparing to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza through a floating pier project, with the aim of providing food, treatment for starving children, and other urgent assistance to half a million people in need. USAID is coordinating with various organizations, including the U.N. World Food Program and Israel, to ensure security and distribution for the aid deliveries by ship. The Biden administration has allocated $320 million for this project, which is seen as a crucial response to the dire situation in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
An investment of $200 million is also being made to increase U.S. production of emergency nutritional treatment for starving children under 5, as the need for such aid has risen in conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and others. Israel has started reopening some border crossings for relief shipments following pressure from the U.S. and other countries. Children under 5 are particularly vulnerable to the effects of food shortages, and reports have emerged of deaths due to hunger, with most of the victims being children.
The construction of the floating pier has been temporarily halted due to high winds and sea swells, causing unsafe conditions for military personnel involved in the operation. The partial progress of the pier and the military vessels have been moved to the Port of Ashdod to continue the work there. The delay may extend until later next week or longer if the bad weather persists, as divers and military personnel need to carry out final installation tasks.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the aid delivery operation being primarily focused on sea routes rather than land routes, highlighting the importance of upholding humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality. The challenges faced during the first aid delivery through a newly reopened land corridor into north Gaza underscore the security risks and uncertainties involved in providing relief to the area. Israeli settlers and Hamas militants have disrupted aid convoys, complicating efforts to reach those in need.
Acute malnutrition rates among children under 5 in Gaza have increased significantly since the onset of the conflict, with a surge in cases from 1% to 30% within a span of five months. The escalation of hunger crisis in Gaza is unprecedented, surpassing similar situations in other conflict zones like Somalia or South Sudan. Aid workers at medical facilities in northern Gaza are overwhelmed by the number of malnourished children seeking treatment, indicating the urgent need for expanded aid deliveries and sustained calm to facilitate the safe access to treatment for starving children. Efforts to save these children require a combination of increased aid deliveries and the establishment of secure treatment facilities in Gaza.
