The Pentagon is dispatching an aircraft carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean as a sign of support for Israel during its ongoing battle with the Palestinian militants.
Gaza is a densely populated territory with over 2 million people, most of whom are Palestinians. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, bordered by Egypt to the southwest and Israel to the northeast and southwest. Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007, which has severely restricted the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory.
The armada led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford includes five guided missile destroyers. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Sunday that Washington would also deliver ammunition and other military equipment to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“Strengthening our joint force posture, in addition to the materiel support that we will rapidly provide to Israel, underscores the United States’ ironclad support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli people,” Austin said in a statement.
President Joe Biden earlier promised to offer “all appropriate means of support” to Israel, which came under a surprise attack from Hamas and other Palestinian groups on Saturday morning.
Palestinian armed group Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israel and deployed its militants to infiltrate Jewish settlements near the country’s border with Gaza on Saturday morning.
Although the IDF thanked the US for its support.
The militant groups began their attack on the Jewish state by infiltrating Israel from the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. Some 2,500 rockets were fired and multiple Israeli soldiers and civilians were killed or kidnapped.
Israel responded with airstrikes on Gaza and has redeployed troops toward its southern border. The Israeli government has officially declared a state of war on Sunday, invoking Article 40 of its Basic Law.
Over 700 Israelis and at least 413 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday morning, according to officials from both sides.
Shayne Heffernan
