This Is How the U.S. Could Set Up a Gaza Beachhead, But Not Without Risks
8th March 2024
Five months after the attacks by Hamas on Israel sparked what has been an incredibly violent war, according to multiple reports, the Biden Administration is planning to set up a beachhead to move large amounts of aid to Gaza, from ship to shore. Such an operation, which would be fraught with risk, comes days after the United States joined a growing number of countries executing airdrops of aid into Gaza. Significant portions of the Gaza Strip have been largely destroyed by tens of thousands of Israeli strikes and ongoing ground fighting.
Politico reports that Biden will formally announce the plan during his State of the Union address tonight. Citing three undisclosed senior administration officials, the outlet states that “Biden will order the U.S. military to establish a temporary port in Gaza so more humanitarian aid can get to Palestinians in need.” One administration official has reportedly said the plan will not “require U.S. boots on the ground.” How exactly that is possible is not clear. Gaza currently has no functioning port facility.