EU Maritime Aid Corridor to Gaza May Begin This Weekend

Facts

• European Commission Pres. Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that a maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza may open as soon as this weekend, with a ship docked in the port of Larnaca preparing to deliver food in a test run. Israel reportedly welcomed the news, though it signaled that security checks would still be required.¹
• Humanitarian group Refugees International has accused Israel of blocking 'legitimate relief operations' and generating 'famine-like conditions' in Gaza. However, Israel claims it has expanded its capacity for aid delivery to the coastal enclave.²
• Five Palestinians in Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp were reportedly killed on Friday after an airdropped aid package fell on them, reportedly due to a malfunctioning parachute. However, the details of the incident are still unclear. A few countries, including the US, have begun dropping aid as the humanitarian crisis worsens in Gaza.³
• The UN's Palestinian refugee aid agency (UNRWA) — which Israel has accused of supporting Hamas and hiring its operatives — has detailed alleged widespread abuse of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli forces. However, Israel has stated that the mistreatment of detainees is prohibited, claiming the report sought to present a 'false equivalency.'⁴
• Meanwhile, Israel Hayom has reported that internal government discussions had taken place regarding the possibility of arming some civilians in Gaza unaffiliated with Hamas to protect aid convoys traversing the besieged strip. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly postponed a decision on the issue.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²Al Jazeera, ³CBS, ⁴BBC News and ⁵The Times of Israel.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by ABC News. 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 Biden admin. is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence. 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 is now taking its own steps to alleviate this dreadful situation.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jerusalem Post. Israel will always be thankful for the US' steadfast support, but the Biden admin. needs to refrain from tying Israel's hands behind its back. Hamas is simply not interested in negotiating in good faith and has consistently shown its preference for violence. In contrast, Israel has done everything it can to ensure the safety of civilians in a war it didn't want, even going so far as to put its own soldiers at risk just to preserve this principle. Israel will pursue its goals, which are incredibly popular with its citizens, regardless of whether it annoys Washington or anyone else.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. 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.

Predictions