The first big detail has leaked ahead of President Biden's State of the Union address Thursday night: The US will build what is being described as a temporary port on the Gaza coast in order to ship in more relief supplies, reports Politico. Details were still sparse, but the New York Times reports the plan involves construction of a "floating pier." The mission would involve hundreds and perhaps thousands of troops on ships off shore, but "we're not planning for this to be an operation that would require US boots on the ground," a senior US official tells Politico.
Gazans "are on the brink of starvation" as a consequence of the Israeli-Hamas war, per the Times, and the temporary port would allow the delivery of more food, as well as medical supplies, reports the AP. It will likely take at least 30 days to get the port up and running, with the US Army Corps of Engineers taking the lead. It appears the port would handle supplies coming in to Gaza from the Mediterranean. Biden also is expected to announce the opening of a third land crossing into Gaza, one that would help get aid into the northern part of the strip. "We're not waiting on the Israelis," says one of the Politico sources. "This is a moment for American leadership, and we are building a coalition of countries to address this urgent need. (More Gaza stories.)
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