US confirms first aid trucks arrive via Gaza pier

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The first shipment of humanitarian aid has arrived in Gaza via a temporary floating pier, the US military has confirmed.

US Central Command said aid trucks had begun moving ashore at about 09:00 local time (07:00 BST) on Friday.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said 8,400 plastic shelters had been delivered. About 500 tonnes of British aid including tents, hygiene kits and forklift trucks is expected to reach Gaza via the pier, built by US armed forces, in the coming weeks.

However, Mr Sunak said the maritime route was “not the only answer” to the humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

“We need to see more land routes open, including via the Rafah crossing, to ensure much more aid gets safely to civilians in desperate need of help.”

UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said: “Gazans are at risk of famine and in desperate need of supplies – Israel must ensure land routes are open and that aid gets safely to where it is needed.”

Both Mr Sunak and Lord Cameron reiterated calls for the Israelis to meet their commitment to allow at least 500 aid trucks a day into Gaza, where about 2.2 million people are in urgent need of food, shelter and other assistance.

Also on Friday, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said US aid was arriving in Cyprus. “It will be screened by Israeli authorities and loaded on to ships for delivery via the maritime corridor and would be loaded onto ships bound for Gaza,” he told reporters.

He added that it was important that the Rafah crossing – which Israel seized last week – should “open immediately”. Israel and Egypt blame each other for its closure.

Credit BBC

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