President Joe Biden has announced the United States’ plan to build a temporary pier on Gaza’s coastline to facilitate aid entry. However, some quarters criticised the announcement as not realistic and a distraction. President Biden pointed out the importance of protecting innocent lives, directing a message to Tel Aviv.
In response to the crisis, a coalition of nations, including the European Commission, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed their intent to open a maritime corridor for humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The move aims to address the pressing need for increased humanitarian aid and commercial commodities.
Cyprus will convene senior officials to expedite the establishment of the maritime channel as a key player in this initiative supplementing existing land and air routes. The European Union had previously announced plans to open a maritime corridor for aid shipments from Cyprus to Gaza’s coast. Israel’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision to establish a sea corridor between Cyprus and Gaza, committing to facilitating the transfer of humanitarian aid while adhering to international rules of war.
The announcement follows the EU’s preparation for the corridor, with expectations that it could begin operating as early as the upcoming weekend.
Meanwhile, Israeli army continued its attack on Gaza, killing at least 78 Palestinians and injuring 104 others over the past 24 hours. The city of Deir el-Balah witnessed at least 11 fatalities and numerous injuries due to the Israeli attacks.
On the diplomatic front, efforts to broker a resolution faced setbacks, as the Hamas delegation left Cairo, stating that Israel had thwarted all attempts by mediators to reach an agreement.
The UNRWA reported severe food shortages affecting Palestinian women and children, particularly 95% of pregnant and breastfeeding women facing food poverty. In late February, the UN declared that nearly all of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants are in a state of crisis or worse due to acute food insecurity, marking the highest percentage ever classified in the region.
