U.S.-built pier anchored in Gaza; ICJ hears Rafah is ‘endgame’ in Gaza destruction - The Washington Post
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South Africa on May 13 urged the International Court of Justice to order Israel to halt its Rafah offensive and do more to protect civilians in Gaza. (Video: International Court of Justice)

U.S.-built pier anchored in Gaza; ICJ hears Rafah is ‘endgame’ in Gaza destruction

2 min

A temporary pier built by the United States to help distribute humanitarian aid delivered by sea was anchored Thursday morning in Gaza, U.S. Central Command said. South Africa asked the International Court of Justice on Thursday to order Israel to cease its military operations in Gaza immediately, including in Rafah, with a lawyer representing Pretoria describing the Rafah offensive as “part of the end game in which Gaza is utterly destroyed.”

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Aid trucks “are expected to begin moving ashore in the coming days,” Centcom said, noting that “as part of this effort, no U.S. troops entered Gaza.” U.S. officials say they could eventually deliver up to 2 million meals a day using the pier, though the success of the operation will depend on Israel’s cooperation.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that additional troops will join Israel’s operation in Rafah and that it would “intensify.” Nearly 600,000 people have fled Rafah, according to the United Nations, including about 150,000 in the past few days.
Five Israeli soldiers were killed in a “friendly fire” incident in northern Gaza on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said. The deaths were caused by “tank crossfire” after a tank crew saw a weapon and opened fire, the IDF said, calling the incident “tragic.”
The Biden administration has “deep concerns” about how recent Israeli operations have impeded humanitarian aid efforts in Rafah and Kerem Shalom, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Both are key access points for aid deliveries to southern Gaza.
Canada issued sanctions against four Israeli settlers who “engaged directly or indirectly in violence and violent acts against Palestinian civilians and their property,” according to an announcement Thursday.
The death toll in Gaza has risen to 35,272, and 79,205 people have been injured in the enclave since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It says the majority of the dead are women and children.
Israel estimates that 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and says 278 soldiers have been killed since the launch of its military operation in Gaza.
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Aid trucks “are expected to begin moving ashore in the coming days,” Centcom said, noting that “as part of this effort, no U.S. troops entered Gaza.” U.S. officials say they could eventually deliver up to 2 million meals a day using the pier, though the success of the operation will depend on Israel’s cooperation.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that additional troops will join Israel’s operation in Rafah and that it would “intensify.” Nearly 600,000 people have fled Rafah, according to the United Nations, including about 150,000 in the past few days.
Five Israeli soldiers were killed in a “friendly fire” incident in northern Gaza on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said. The deaths were caused by “tank crossfire” after a tank crew saw a weapon and opened fire, the IDF said, calling the incident “tragic.”
The Biden administration has “deep concerns” about how recent Israeli operations have impeded humanitarian aid efforts in Rafah and Kerem Shalom, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Both are key access points for aid deliveries to southern Gaza.
Canada issued sanctions against four Israeli settlers who “engaged directly or indirectly in violence and violent acts against Palestinian civilians and their property,” according to an announcement Thursday.
The death toll in Gaza has risen to 35,272, and 79,205 people have been injured in the enclave since the war began, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. It says the majority of the dead are women and children.
Israel estimates that 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, including more than 300 soldiers, and says 278 soldiers have been killed since the launch of its military operation in Gaza.
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Israel-Gaza war

The Israel-Gaza war has gone on for six months, and tensions have spilled into the surrounding region.

The war: On Oct. 7, Hamas militants launched an unprecedented cross-border attack on Israel that included the taking of civilian hostages at a music festival. (See photos and videos of how the deadly assault unfolded). Israel declared war on Hamas in response, launching a ground invasion that fueled the biggest displacement in the region since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Gaza crisis: In the Gaza Strip, Israel has waged one of this century’s most destructive wars, killing tens of thousands and plunging at least half of the population into “famine-like conditions.” For months, Israel has resisted pressure from Western allies to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclave.

U.S. involvement: Despite tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and some U.S. politicians, including President Biden, the United States supports Israel with weapons, funds aid packages, and has vetoed or abstained from the United Nations’ cease-fire resolutions.

History: The roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and mistrust are deep and complex, predating the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Read more on the history of the Gaza Strip.