The negotiation round ended on March 7 without any significant progress. The prospect of achieving a temporary ceasefire lasting 6 weeks before the start of Ramadan has become fragile. Currently, analysts hope that the efforts of the parties to reconcile, as well as certain concessions from Israel and Hamas, could lead to a temporary ceasefire in Gaza on the eve of Ramadan, laying the groundwork for a long-term ceasefire.
The US plans to aid Gaza by constructing a temporary port.
In the federal message on March 7, US President Joe Biden announced a plan to build a military floating port to accelerate aid to Gaza. The Pentagon stated that the construction of this port could take up to 60 days with the participation of over 1,000 US soldiers. The US decision was welcomed by the United Nations, especially in the context of the many obstacles to aiding the people of Gaza. Notably, there was an incident where an anonymous aid shipment was dropped, killing 5 children and injuring 10 others. Everyone agrees that building a temporary port is the best measure for Gaza in the current situation.
The challenges that may arise when the floating port is constructed
Mr. Ziad Issa, head of humanitarian policy at the charity ActionAid, stated: “This sea route will take weeks to construct, while the starving population in Gaza is increasing by the day. We have witnessed many children dying of starvation.”
According to the plan, Israeli inspectors will be present at the port of Larnaca in Cyprus, closely monitoring aid shipments entering southern Gaza. However, there are many ways for the Israeli government, a coalition including ministers opposing any aid shipments into Gaza, to obstruct this plan.
Even if the floating port is successfully constructed, food aid could be unloaded from ships from Larnaca and a high floating road used to bring aid ashore. However, the problem is that most of the population of Gaza has been evacuated multiple times, not concentrating on this coast. If everyone can be gathered at the coast, then who will distribute the aid? Most aid organizations have been dispersed by Israeli orders previously.
Moreover, aid around this strip of land requires not only trucks and drivers but also some security measures, as despair prevails and looting is rampant. Previously, the Israeli military escorted aid shipments from small NGOs, but an attempt to deliver food on February 29 in the suburbs of Gaza City occurred with an attack that killed at least 115 people after Israeli soldiers opened fire when people rushed to get food.
The current situation in Gaza is very chaotic, as the once-existing security apparatus has collapsed, and the organizational structure and leadership groups tasked with ensuring community security have also disintegrated. This is truly a difficult problem for the US and its allies.
At the current time, Washington has also not determined how to protect the floating port from threats in the area. On this issue, the Pentagon stated it is discussing with partners, including Israel. It’s hard to predict whether Hamas will allow the aid process to proceed smoothly. C
Conclusion
Aiding Gaza requires accurate and swift steps, as the lives of thousands are currently counted by the day. The US and its allies have made great efforts in the negotiations and aid this time. But there are still many difficulties ahead that need to be addressed.
