Friday Briefing: Aid Trickles Through Gaza Pier

Palestinians stormed trucks carrying humanitarian aid last week. Credit…Abdel Kareem Hana/Associated Press

A U.S. aid project has brought little relief to Gaza

The U.S. predicted that a floating pier off Gaza built by its military would allow for a steady stream of humanitarian aid. But little relief has reached Palestinians in the strip, officials said this week.

Several trucks were looted as they made their way to a warehouse and operations were suspended for two days. The U.N. World Food Program has warned that the pier project could fail if Israel does not do more to ensure the safe distribution of the aid.

The relief effort faltered as Israeli forces pushed deeper into Rafah, in southern Gaza. Israel’s military said yesterday that its forces were fighting near the center of Rafah. Around 815,000 people have left the city as a result.

The assault came in a week when Israel has faced mounting diplomatic and legal pressure over its war effort. Today, the International Court of Justice in The Hague is set to respond to a South African petition for an immediate halt to the ground assault in Rafah.

Cease-fire: The C.I.A. director plans to travel to Europe this weekend for talks with his Israeli counterpart to try to revive the stalled talks.

Hostages: The families of several Israeli female soldiers released a video of their abduction by Hamas fighters on Oct. 7. They hope to pressure the Israeli government to restart the negotiations that pave the way for the captives’ release.