After multiple complications, the Pentagon has ended a critical source of food to the Gaza Strip.
In a horrid display of the increasingly dangerous state of Gaza, the Washington Post reports that the Pentagon has decided to end its mission to provide aid via a pier into Gaza. The decision, which the Post reported earlier this Wednesday, will likely make it increasingly difficult to get critical food and supplies to a struggling population.
The Aid Crisis: Stubbornness and Cruelty
While much of the Israel-Hamas War has resulted in civilian casualties from Israeli bombing runs, another component is the risk of starvation. As I noted previously, Gaza’s population, which amounts to roughly 2 million people, is suffering from acute food insecurity. Reports throughout the war have warned about Israeli efforts, both by the government and by far-right groups, to block aid to critical points in Gaza.
Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported that far-right Israeli groups, some of them receiving tax-deducted donations from the United States and Israeli governments, have worked to block aid from entering the Gaza Strip. According to the AP, one of these groups still received funds despite sanctions by Washington. While these groups are not directly involved with the Israeli government, that same AP report notes that they have had tacit support from the Israeli government. Israeli Minister for National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has argued for blocking aid to the Gaza Strip, refusing to condemn protesters who have blocked aid trucks.
Nor is it the first time that In May of this year, Human Rights Watch also noted that Israel violated the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) order requiring the Israeli government to “…enable the provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance.” Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, warned that: “Despite children dying from starvation and famine in Gaza, the Israeli authorities are still blocking aid critical for the survival of Gaza’s population in defiance of the World Court.” While this report also notes that Israel had opened the Erez crossing, they did so largely due to American pressure. Though said pressure has been far from without limitations.
After Israel refused to open more land-based paths for aid to Gaza in March, the Biden administration announced a plan to create a pier off the coast of Gaza. However, due to a mix of severe conditions at sea, technical issues, and unsafe conditions for aid delivery workers, the pier has seriously underperformed in its endeavor to provide much-needed aid. USAID, which is responsible for much of the aid operations, warned that “too many aid workers have been killed in this conflict…” and pleaded with Israeli officials to …“do more to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in order to get the aid in the hands of the Palestinian people.” The end of the pier, which provided an estimated “20 million pounds” of aid to Gaza, would make an already horrific situation even worse.
What this could mean for Gaza?
While the end of the pier won’t end American attempts to get aid to Gaza and aid operations will be moved to Ashdod, a presumably safer location, it is unclear if it will be as effective at providing aid as the now defunct pier. Nonetheless, without increased land routes for aid to get to the people of Gaza and without a sustained ceasefire, the impact of any aid operation will be sadly reduced. So long as the war continues and so long as the Netanyahu administration continues, it is unlikely there will be a serious improvement in Gazan’s conditions.
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References
Dadouch, Sarah, et al., 2024. “Aid Groups Warn They Face Looting, Danger in Gaza after Israeli Raid.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/10/israel-gaza-hamas-blinken-netanyahu-gantz/ (July 17, 2024).
Efron, Shira, and Michael J. Koplow. 2024. “The Palestinian Authority Is Collapsing.” Foreign Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/palestinian-territories/palestinian-authority-collapsing (July 17, 2024).
Federman, Josef, et al., 2024. “Far-Right Groups That Block Aid to Gaza Receive Tax-Deductible Donations from US and Israel.” AP News. https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-aid-humanitarian-nonprofit-69582d193ce270d63d5865ac0ead2df0 (July 17, 2024).
“Gaza: Israel Flouts World Court Orders | Human Rights Watch.” 2024. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/07/gaza-israel-flouts-world-court-orders (July 17, 2024).
Kelly, Conor. 2024. “UK Foreign Secretary Calls for Ceasefire.” The Progressive American. https://progressiveamerican322183019.wordpress.com/2024/07/15/uk-foreign-minister-calls-for-ceasefire/ (July 17, 2024).
Lamothe, Dan. 2024. “U.S. Will Soon End Its Troubled Gaza Pier Mission, Pentagon Says.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/11/gaza-pier-humanitarian-aid/ (July 17, 2024).
Lamothe, Dan, and Alex Horton. 2024. “Pentagon Ends Gaza Pier Mission.” Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/07/17/gaza-pier-mission-ends-pentagon-israel/ (July 17, 2024).
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