Israel has welcomed President Joe Biden‘s decision to build a port in the Mediterranean Sea off Gaza‘s coast to facilitate more aid to go into the strip.
Biden made the announcement that the U.S. military will build the port, which will allow the United States to provide aid to the strip by air, sea, and land, during his Thursday night State of the Union address to Congress. In his remarks, he also called on Israel to prioritize the protection of civilians, a long-standing demand from him and his administration.
“Israel welcomes the inauguration of the maritime corridor from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip. The Cypriot initiative will allow for the increase of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, after security checks are carried out in accordance with Israeli standards,” Lior Haiat, the spokesman of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement.
“It is very important that additional countries join the Cypriot initiative and the international effort to transfer aid,” he added.
It’s unclear exactly when the port will be built, though Biden said no U.S. military personnel will be on the ground in Gaza.
The United Kingdom has said it will work with the U.S. to utilize the maritime environment for aid, which Cyprus will aid as well.
“People in Gaza are in desperate humanitarian need,” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said. “Alongside the US, the UK and partners have announced we will open a maritime corridor to deliver aid directly to Gaza. We continue to urge Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza as the fastest way to get aid to those who need it.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in Cyprus on Friday when she announced that a ship will make a pilot voyage to test the sea corridor.
The decision of the international community to pursue a maritime aid route demonstrates the continued and growing need for humanitarian aid into the strip. Food scarcity is most acute in northern Gaza, though most of the population fled south because the Israeli military has since moved out of that area.
Biden urged Israel to “do its part” by allowing “more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire,” and he added, “To the leadership of Israel, I say this. Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority.”
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Israeli officials have said the issue is not with the amount of aid that’s gotten to Gaza’s borders but have blamed it on ineffective distribution routes and lawlessness within the enclave.
Haiat also maintained that Israel would continue its military operations “until [Hamas’] elimination and the return of all the hostages.”
