Type | Barge landing |
---|---|
Carries | Food aid from Cyprus |
Locale | Mediterranean Sea off Gaza Strip |
Characteristics | |
Construction | U.S. Army and U.S. Navy |
History | |
Construction start | 2024 or later |
The Gaza floating pier is a floating dock facility proposed by the U.S. Biden Administration immediately before the 2024 State of the Union Address.
It would be constructed by U.S. military forces on ships offshore the Gaza Strip, then connected with the shore by causeway, and when complete would enable delivery of maritime cargo for humanitarian assistance to Gaza. The pier was announced by President Biden in the State of the Union Address on March 7, 2024. [1] [2] [3] [4]
President Biden warned Israel that it "must also do its part." "To the leadership of Israel I say this," he said. "Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority." [5]
During October and November 2023, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides developed the maritime aid corridor idea, named the Amalthea Initiative, [6] [7] with European Union leaders at a humanitarian conference in Paris and elsewhere. [8] [9] On November 5, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Cyprus to discuss the maritime aid corridor. [10]
On November 20, 2023, Christodoulides said Cyprus was ready to ship large quantities of humanitarian aid to Gaza when a pause in fighting was declared. He said that in the short term shallow-draft vessels could be used to ferry aid, and in the medium term a floating dock off Gaza could be used. He had been in regular contact with the Israeli Prime Minister about the proposal, but getting authorization required careful negotiations. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Israel was "definitely in favor of the project." [11] [12]
The Jerusalem Post reported that a senior Israeli diplomatic source said the plan was based on a proposal for a maritime route to Gaza via Cyprus for humanitarian assistance initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in collaboration with President Biden on October 22, 2023. The Jerusalem Post reported that on October 31, Netanyahu outlined this proposal to Cypriot President Christodoulides and on January 19, 2024, Netanyahu proposed to Biden a team should be set up to explore the proposal including inspection of all goods transported. [13] [14] On December 20, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said "The creation of a maritime corridor to Gaza will help Israel's economic disengagement from the Strip", following a meeting with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos to discuss the maritime aid corridor. [15] Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman had proposed a similar plan to Cyprus in 2010 when it was called the Lieberman Proposal, [16] and again in 2018 when he was Defense Minister. [17] In 2021, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid proposed the Gaza Development Plan which included a sea port on an artificial island under Israeli security control off Gaza. [18] [19]
The pier will probably allow delivery of thousands of tons of food aid at a time, equivalent to "hundreds of truckloads", [20] via barge embarked in Cyprus and screened for contraband there. [21]
Over 1,000 U.S. military personnel will be involved in construction of the pier and 1,800 foot (550 m) long Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) type modular causeway, over a 60 day period. [22] [23] The part of the JLOTS system [24] to be deployed is a large floating modular unloading platform secured by sea anchors stationed about three miles offshore, allowing supplies to be then transferred by lighters to a modular causeway off the shore. [25] [26] The project, known internally as the Blue Beach Plan, was partially developed by an advisory group called Fogbow, co-founded by Michael Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense, and Sam Mundy, a retired Marine Lt. Gen. The plan includes potentially dredging a corridor on a private beachfront to aid unloading. The goal is to allow barges to approach the shore for aid distribution onto trucks. The military pier, once operational, could provide another way for aid delivery. [27] [28] [29]
The Fogbow plan is a strategy created by the American advisory group Fogbow, founded by Michael Mulroy and Sam Mundy and managed by former US military and intelligence personnel, to establish a maritime corridor. According to the initial Fogbow plan, a significant portion of aid will be transported using Masri trucks to the Gaza Industrial Zone, a specified area within the Gaza sector. Additionally, Fogbow aims to set up a new beach landing site for delivering humanitarian aid. This initiative seeks to improve aid distribution by increasing the number of drop zones along the coast, making it easier to transport aid to remote areas that are difficult to reach by typical overland routes. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have agreed to provide security assistance to Fogbow. To support the implementation of this plan, funding will be directed through a recently established foundation called the "Maritime Humanitarian Aid Foundation." [30] [31] [32]
On March 9, 2024, U.S. Army support ship General Frank S. Besson was sent from Norfolk to begin construction of the pier. [33] Four more ships with 500 Army troops left on March 12. The ships included landing craft USAV Wilson Wharf, USAV Matamoros and USAV Monterrey; and Besson-class support ship USAV SP4 James A. Loux. [34] [35] [36] In addition to Army, Naval Beach Group 1 from San Diego, and MV Roy P. Benavidez (T-AKR-306) from an East Coast maritime reserve force were assigned to assist in construction. [37] Roy P. Benavidez departed from Virginia on March 21. [38]
On March 12, prior to construction of the U.S. pier, a barge "testing" the delivery route, loaded with 200 tons of food from World Central Kitchen left the port of Larnaca in Cyprus for Gaza. [39] [40] A jetty for unloading the barge was built at a location that was initially "not disclosed for security reasons", [41] but later discerned to be south of Gaza City ( 31°29′49″N34°24′29″E / 31.497°N 34.408°E ) by journalists using commercial satellite imagery or talking to local construction workers. [42] [43] The Cyprus foreign minister, Constantinos Kombos, said on March 13 that the US pier and the food route out of Larnaca would become a single operation. [44] The first barge arrived and began to be unloaded at the World Central Kitchen jetty on March 15. [45] [46]
The Senate Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee chairpersons Mark Warner and Ben Cardin (both Democrats) requested briefings from the Biden administration on the force protection plan for the U.S. units participating in construction. [47] On March 28, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs told press that Israel would be providing security during installation of the pier. [48]
By April 5, Besson and Benavidez had reached the Mediterranean. [49] By April 17, Besson, Benavidez and three other Army vessels had reached Crete. [50]
The Royal Navy is participating in the effort. RFA Cardigan Bay is used by American soldiers and sailors as a dormitory. [51]
On April 26, 2024, construction of the pier by US forces began. [52]
The State of Israel and the Republic of Turkey formally established diplomatic relations in March 1949. Less than a year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, Turkey recognized Israeli sovereignty, making it the world's first Muslim-majority country to do so. Both countries gave high priority to bilateral cooperation in the areas of diplomacy and military/strategic ties, while sharing concerns with respect to the regional instabilities in the Middle East. In recent decades, particularly under Turkey's Erdoğan administration, the two countries' relationship with each other has deteriorated considerably. However, diplomatic ties were reinstated after a successful normalization initiative in mid-2022.
A blockade has been imposed on the movement of goods and people in and out of the Gaza Strip since Hamas's takeover in 2007, led by Israel and supported by Egypt. The blockade's current stated aim is to prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza; previously stated motivations have included exerting economic pressure on Hamas. Human rights groups have called the blockade illegal and a form of collective punishment, as it restricts the flow of essential goods, contributes to economic hardship, and limits Gazans' freedom of movement. The blockade and its effects have led to the territory being called an "open-air prison".
The Gaza flotilla raid was a military operation by Israel against six civilian ships of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla" on 31 May 2010 in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Nine of the flotilla passengers were killed during the raid, with thirty wounded. Ten Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously. The exact sequence of events is contested, in part due to the IDF's confiscation of the passengers' photographic evidence. The flotilla, organized by the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (İHH), was carrying humanitarian aid and construction materials, intending to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Cyprus–Israel relations refer to the bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel. Israel has an embassy in Nicosia, while Cyprus has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean, United Nations, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization.
"Freedom Flotilla II – Stay Human" was a flotilla that planned to break the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip by Israel by sailing to Gaza on 5 July 2011. Ultimately, the sailing did not take place.
The Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center or JRCC Larnaca is an independent agency of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus and its primary mission is to organize the national Search and Rescue (SAR) system, to co-ordinate, to control and direct SAR operations in the region that the Cyprus JRCC is responsible for, so that people, whose lives are at risk as a result of aviation or maritime accidents, can be located and rescued in the least amount of time.
Gaza Seaport is a planned seaport in the Gaza Strip. The establishment of a Gaza seaport was mentioned in the Oslo I Accord, as early as 1993. The 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum determined that the construction works could commence on 1 October 1999. The project started on 18 July 2000, but was stopped in an early stage due to obstruction of the supply of construction materials, and destruction by the Israeli army in September and October 2000 when the Second Intifada inflamed. The 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, following the Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, re-announced the start of the works. Israel promised to assure donors that it will not interfere with operation of the port. As of 2014, however, the construction has not been resumed.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that provides food relief. It was founded in 2010 by Spanish American chef and restaurateur José Andrés following the earthquake in Haiti, and has subsequently responded to Hurricane Harvey, the 2018 lower Puna eruption, 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, and the ongoing Gaza humanitarian crisis.
Nikos Christodoulides is a Cypriot politician, former diplomat and academic, and the 8th and current President of Cyprus. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022 and Spokesman of the Government from 2014 to 2018, under President Nicos Anastasiades.
Open Arms is a Mediterranean rescue vessel operated by the Proactiva Open Arms NGO. Before 2018, it was named Ibaizabal Tres.
Following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war, the United States began to send warships and military aircraft into the Eastern Mediterranean and began sending Israel more military supplies. The US stated that Israel would receive "whatever it needs" to support its offensive against the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
The year 2023 in Israel was defined first by wide-scale protests against a proposed judicial reform, and then by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, which led to a war and to Israel invading the Gaza Strip.
The outbreak of the Israel–Hamas war led to an increased dislike of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government from Israeli citizens due to a perceived failure of leadership on the issue, with increased calls for Netanyahu's resignation.
The Israel–Hamas war sparked a major diplomatic crisis, with many countries around the world reacting strongly to the conflict that affected the momentum of regional relations. At least nine countries took the drastic step of recalling their ambassadors and cutting diplomatic ties with Israel. The conflict has also resulted in a renewed focus on a two-state solution to the ongoing conflict.
The Israeli government's response to the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel has multiple aspects, including a military response leading to the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. In October, the Knesset approved a war cabinet in Israel, adding National Unity ministers and altering the government; Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz froze non-war legislation, establishing a war cabinet with military authority.
Events in 2024 in the Palestinian territories.
The Rafah offensive is a planned offensive in the city of Rafah, part of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. Israel announced plans to invade the city in February 2024, and conducted intensified airstrikes as a result. Israel stated it would invade the city if hostages were not freed by Ramadan.
During the Israel-Hamas war, significant issues arose with humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel's initial blockade on Gaza prevented the entry of humanitarian aid for several weeks. As the war progressed, aid was allowed at limited quantities, with entities such as Oxfam, the European Union, United Kingdom, and United Nations stating that Israel deliberately blocked humanitarian aid. These limitations have contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis and famine. Israeli airstrikes and continued restrictions on aid entry led to widespread shortages of food and supplies. Humanitarian aid agencies warned of the dire humanitarian consequences of aid restrictions, particularly after major Western donors announced they would cease funding UNRWA, the major aid relief agency in Gaza.
Israel has been accused of committing genocide in the Gaza war and the Biden administration has been accused of complicity in the genocide. The complicity accusation has been made in court, by federal staffers, Human rights organizations and academic figures around the world.
The World Central Kitchen aid convoy attack occurred on 1 April 2024, when Israeli drones targeted a three-car convoy belonging to the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in the Gaza Strip, killing seven aid workers. The attack occurred despite the WCK having coordinated their route with the Israeli military, which both parties have acknowledged. The workers had been overseeing the transfer of a shipment of food from a makeshift pier to a warehouse some distance away in the northern Gaza Strip, which has been pushed close to famine by Israel's invasion and blockade during the Israel–Hamas war.
Biden announces his new initiative for the U.S. military to build a port and a pier to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by ship, and quickly repeats his call for a two-state solution as the only path to peace.
Contrary to the Biden administration's portrayal of the initiative as a way to bypass Israel, Jewish Insider heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tout the idea in a press briefing – off the record at the time – on Nov. 5, 2023. Netanyahu said at the time, less than a month into the war, that he had already discussed the idea with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
Another problem was how to unload the aid in Gaza when there are no working ports left. For this reason, WCK has been building a jetty for weeks with rubble and the remains of bombed buildings and with some cranes and construction machines that still work. Its location has not been disclosed for security reasons.
Cyprus' foreign minister says a US initiative to build a pier off Gaza for large-scale aid deliveries to the territory by sea will eventually be folded into the Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor that's currently running. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos says although the two initiatives are now separate, all aid reaching Gaza by sea will eventually have as its single departure point the Cypriot port of Larnaca.