Middle East Crisis: More Nations Join U.S.-Backed Effort to Send Aid to Gaza by Sea The U.S.-backed plan to send aid to Gaza by sea gains support from Britain, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates. The initiative aims to bring essential supplies to Gaza amid the ongoing crisis. The European Commission president announced that the first shipment could depart from Cyprus as soon as Friday. The plan involves creating a temporary floating pier off Gaza's coast to facilitate the delivery of food, water, and medicine. However, challenges remain in terms of unloading and distributing the aid amid the conflict. The urgency of increasing humanitarian aid into Gaza is emphasized, as the region faces extreme hunger and deprivation. Concerns over the lack of supply routes by land have prompted the push for alternative methods of delivery. Israel's stance on inspecting aid shipments continues to be a point of contention in the relief efforts. The plan for a maritime corridor has been in the works for months and seeks to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.