U.S.S. Besson Heads to Mediterranean to Build “Humanitarian Pier”

The first concrete step toward the establishment of a humanitarian aid port for Gaza, announced by US President Joe Biden, was the departure of the supply ship General Besson, which departed March 9 from the Langley-Eustis military base in Virginia.

The ship is traveling toward the Middle East and carrying equipment needed to build a pier off the coast of Gaza, according to US military statements reported by Britain’s BBC.

For weeks now, the United Nations has been publishing news that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is out of control: famine, health emergencies, and continued Israeli incursions have plunged the civilian population into an inhumane situation, and aid is difficult to supply by land and road; the World Food Program also had to suspend land deliveries in March for security reasons.

However, according to the Pentagon, it will take 2 months and involve 1000 soldiers, none of whom will come ashore, to set up a structure that will facilitate aid access to the sector. Given the severity of the crisis, this timeframe is considered too long by humanitarian associations.