British troops might be involved in delivering aid to Gaza from an offshore pier currently being built by the US military. UK government officials declined to comment on the report.
According to the BBC, the British government is contemplating deploying troops to drive trucks carrying aid from the pier along a floating causeway to the shore. The decision has not been finalized, and the proposal has yet to reach Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as per sources.
This report follows a statement by a senior US military official on Thursday, indicating that there would be no American “boots on the ground,” and another nation would provide personnel to drive delivery trucks to the shore. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not disclose the identity of the third party.
The UK is already providing logistical support for the construction of the pier, including hosting hundreds of US soldiers and sailors on a Royal Navy ship working on the project.
Furthermore, British military planners have been working alongside US Central Command in Florida and in Cyprus, where aid will be screened before shipment to Gaza, according to the UK Ministry of Defense.
The UK Hydrographic Office has also shared Gaza shoreline analysis with the US to assist in pier construction.
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps emphasized the importance of establishing more routes for vital humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza. He stated that the UK continues to play a leading role in coordinating support with the US and international allies and partners.
The development of the port and pier in Gaza occurs amidst widespread international criticism of Israel’s slow delivery of aid to the Palestinian territory. The United Nations reports that at least a quarter of Gaza’s population is on the brink of starvation.
The Israel-Hamas conflict began with a Hamas-led attack into southern Israel on Oct. 7, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the taking of approximately 250 hostages. Israel claims that militants are still holding about 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. Since then, over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s air and ground offensive, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with around two-thirds of them being children and women.
