US dispatches aid ship to Gaza as Biden says Netanyahu ‘hurting more than helping’ Israel

The vessel left Virginia ‘less than 36 hours after Biden announced the US would provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea’, Central Command said

It came as Biden said he believed Israel’s Netanyahu was ‘hurting Israel more than helping Israel’ in how he was approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza

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Personnel board the US Army Vessel General Frank S. Besson. Photo: US CENTCOM/Reuters

Published: 12:30pm, 10 Mar 2024

The US Army has dispatched a ship to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday, days after President Joe Biden vowed to build a temporary pier to supply the besieged enclave.

The General Frank S. Besson left Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia “less than 36 hours after President Biden announced the US would provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea”, CENTCOM said in a statement.

The logistics support vessel was “carrying the first equipment to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies”, it added.

Gaza has no port infrastructure. The US initially plans to use Cyprus, which is offering a process for screening cargoes that will include Israel officials, removing the need for security checks in Gaza.

The shipment came as Biden on Saturday said he believed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in how he was approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza.