The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Floating dock aid delivery starts but less viable than land routes, says OCHA
Trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza have started moving ashore through the temporary floating dock built by the U.S. military, the US Central Command has announced - but this is not enough to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, says the UN.
The United Nations Coordination Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the maritime corridor cannot replace important land routes, which are the quickest and most effective way of delivering humanitarian assistance.
“Any and all aid into Gaza is welcome by any route,” said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson to reporters in Geneva. “But it is an addition, and it doesn't take away the fact that land crossings will be more important, he added”.
The floating dock was anchored to a beach in Gaza yesterday, Thursday 16 May. With most border crossings to the enclave closed or unsafe, the temporary floating dock will provide an additional path for aid entering the embattled enclave.
Mr. Laerke said UN agencies are finalizing their readiness plans for handling the aid once the floating dock is properly functioning, keeping in mind the need to ensure the safety of staff. “Community awareness and acceptance is paramount to ensure the safety and security of this operation”, he insisted. “We are grateful for the efforts of Cyprus, supported by other Member States, to sustain this maritime corridor as an additional route for aid to Gaza. However, getting aid to people in need into and across Gaza cannot and should not depend on a floating dock far from where needs are most acute. Land routes are the most viable, effective and efficient aid delivery method, which is why we need all crossing points to be opened."
Aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip have slowed down since the Israeli military took control of the Rafah crossing last week. About 2.2 million Palestinians desperately need food, shelter and other assistance.
Ends
Story: “Gaza floating dock – OCHA” – 17 May 2024
Soundbites are from Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson.
TRT: 01’31”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 17 May 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing
- Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley
- Wide shot: speakers at the podium of the press conference
- SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson:“Any and all aid into Gaza is welcome by any route. But it is an addition, and it doesn't take away from the fact that land crossings will be more important.”
- Cutaway: wide shot of the press conference room with journalists
- SOUNDBITE (English) Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson:“We, as the UN, are finalizing our operational plans to make sure that we are ready to handle aid once the floating dock is properly functioning, while ensuring the safety of our staff. Community awareness and acceptance is paramount to ensure the safety and security of this operation. We are grateful for the efforts of Cyprus, supported by other Member States, to sustain this maritime corridor as an additional route for aid to Gaza. However, getting aid to people in need into and across Gaza cannot and should not depend on a floating dock far from where needs are most acute. Land routes are the most viable, effective and efficient aid delivery method, which is why we need all crossing points to be opened."
- Various shots of the press conference room
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
UN peacekeepers are supporting civilians who’ve chosen to stay in the south amid deadly dangers from Israel-Hezbollah clashes, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandace Ardiel tells us.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WFP
Middle East war fallout: Hundreds of thousands flee Lebanon to Syria; vital food aid blocked – UN agencies
The trauma of mass displacement and humanitarian supply chain disruptions throughout the world are among the devastating impacts of the war raging in the Middle East, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Bitterness, sadness and pride for UNRWA staff, says departing chief
Asking the softly spoken, veteran humanitarian worker Philippe Lazzarini how he feels as he comes to the end of his second term as the head of the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is perhaps an unfair question.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , WHO
Middle East war causes civilian terror and disrupts aid, but some relief efforts resume.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council, delivering a video statement on the strike that hit a girls school in Minab, Iran recently, calling for accountability and protection of children.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A new UN Human Rights report published on Tuesday details the human rights impacts of the expanding reach of gangs in Haiti. According to data verified by the Office, at least 5,519 people were killed in Haiti, and 2,608 were injured between 1 March 2025 and 15 January 2026.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado on Tuesday described the deadly impact of drone strikes in Sudan.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Sudan: Hospital strike highlights surge in drone attacks on civilians
The death toll from a horrific attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur has risen further, amid a “sharp increase” in drone attacks against civilians this year, UN agencies said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNCTAD
Middle East conflict impacts global trade, raising oil and commodity prices due to disruptions.
3
1
3
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
WMO State of the Global Climate 2025 report - UNDER EMBARGO 0400 GMT (0500 CET) Monday, 23 March 2026
UN weather agency warns of record ‘climate imbalance’ as planetary warming accelerates
All-time high greenhouse gas concentrations in our planet’s atmosphere continue to drive heat records on land and sea, with long-lasting consequences for humanity, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights Office report released today on Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks on Tuesday concerning the deadly blast at a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul: