Biden’s Gaza Sea Port Will Take Months To Establish

President Joe Biden’s plan to deliver aid to Gaza through a sea corridor will take at least 45-60 days to develop and depends on Tel Aviv’s approval. Israel’s five-month siege and the bombing of the Strip have created a humanitarian catastrophe that is nearing famine.

During his State of the Union address on Thursday, Biden said he ordered the US military to construct a pier off the coast of Gaza that will deliver aid by sea. “Tonight, I’m directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters,” Biden said.

After the address, several US officials discussed the proposal in more detail. Gaza does not have an existing seaport because the Palestinian enclave is under Israeli military occupation. The New York Times reports that US officials admit that building a temporary floating pier presents significant challenges and could take weeks or months to complete.