The USAV SP4 James A. Loux, USAV Monterrey, USAV Matamoros and USAV Wilson Wharf from the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary deployed Tuesday from Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia for Gaza where they will construct a temporary port of the delivery of humanitarian aid. Photo courtesy of U.S. Central Command/
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March 12 (UPI) -- The Pentagon on Tuesday deployed four Army vessels and their crews to Gaza where they will build a temporary port for the delivery of humanitarian aid, U.S. military officials said, as the situation in the Palestinian enclave threatens to further deteriorate.
The four ships deployed from Joint Base Langley-Eustis near Newport News, Va., earlier Tuesday carrying equipment and supplies for the mission, Pentagon press secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a press briefing.
Ryder identified the ships as the USAV SP4 James A. Loux, USAV Monterrey, USAV Matamoros and USAV Wilson Wharf from the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary. U.S. Central Command confirmed their deployment in a statement.
"Once in theater, these vessels and their crews will establish a roll-on/roll-off pier capability that allows ship-to-shore humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza," he said.
President Joe Biden announced the plan to build the temporary pier on Thursday in his State of the Union as his administration has expressed frustration with Israel as the Palestinian death toll from its war in Gaza continues to climb. The Biden administration has also been under pressure by its own party to distance itself from the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over its war against Hamas that began in October
The president in his address said the port would "enable a massive increase" in the amount of humanitarian aid reaching Gaza where fears of a deepening famine grow.
The United Nations' World Food Program said Tuesday that it was able to make its first aid delivery to northern Gaza in nearly a month, delivering enough food for only 25,000 people in Gaza City.
"If we do not exponentially increase the size of aid going into northern areas, famine is imminent," WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said Monday.
Ryder told reporters Tuesday that the pier is to be fully operational within 60 days of Biden's announcement and the facility will enable the delivery of up to 2 million meals a day.
The pier, the location of which in Gaza has yet to be disclosed, is being constructed as the United States continues with air dropping aid into the Palestinian enclave.
Since the first airdrop on March 2, U.S. Central Command has conducted eight deliveries into Gaza, dropping more than 204,000 meals, 48,000 bottles of water and more than 5,000 pounds of food items, Ryder said.
The war in Gaza began Oct. 7 with the Iran-backed Hamas launching a surprise attack on Israel, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping another 253.
Israel has responded with a brutal offensive that has leveled much of the enclave, which is home to more than 2 million people. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health on Tuesday, the death toll has reached more than 31,000 people. It says 72% of the victims are women and children.
