US Military Completes Floating Pier for Gaza Aid Deliveries

Image copyright: Israel Defense Forces [via X]

The Facts

  • US Central Command announced on Thursday that a floating pier intended to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza had been anchored to the shore of the enclave, adding that aid deliveries are expected to begin in the coming days.

  • This comes over two months after Pres. Joe Biden ordered the military to set up the project — at an estimated cost of $320M — as intense fighting and Israeli restrictions limit the amount of food and other basic goods getting into Gaza.


The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is rapidly getting out of hand, and the situation must be remedied. The Biden admin. is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Palestinian civilians, and this port will be a highly effective way to get aid into Gaza.

Pro-Israel narrative

Facing pressure and criticism at home for supporting Israel, notably from its own political base, the Biden admin. came up with this floating pier to show sympathy for Gaza civilians and try to deliver aid without helping terrorists. This operation is short-sighted though. While it may solve the aid and food distribution crisis in the Strip for now, it fails to address the root problem: It's only when Hamas is finally and completely destroyed that all the suffering in Gaza will come to an end.

Pro-Palestine narrative

The Biden admin., increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal war on Gaza. Regardless of the spin, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Palestinians are literally starving to death, and Biden would rather wax about cockamamie plans for new aid delivery mechanisms like building a port instead of taking concrete action to deter Israel's criminal behavior — which would be unsustainable without US support.


Metaculus Prediction


Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

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