Washington——

The U.N. World Food Program has agreed to help deliver aid to hungry civilians in Gaza once U.S. forces complete a dock to transport humanitarian aid by sea, U.S. officials said on Friday.

The U.N. agency’s involvement could help address one of the main obstacles facing the U.S. program – aid groups’ reluctance to distribute food and other much-needed supplies on the ground in Gaza without major changes from Israel.

An Israeli military attack on April 1 killed seven aid workers at the World Central Kitchen, intensifying international criticism of Israel’s failure to provide security for humanitarian workers or allow sufficient quantities of aid to cross its land borders .

President Joe Biden, who has himself been criticized for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while supporting Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, announced on March 8 that the U.S. military would build temporary docks and causeways as an alternative to the overland route .

The U.S. Agency for International Development confirmed to The Associated Press that it will work with the WFP to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza through the maritime corridor.

“This is a complex operation that requires coordination between many partners and our conversations are ongoing. Across Gaza, the safety and security of humanitarian actors is critical to the delivery of aid and we will continue to advocate for measures , to provide greater assurance for humanitarian personnel,” USAID said in a statement to The Associated Press.

The agency said U.S. and WFP officials were studying how to deliver aid to Palestinian civilians “in an independent, neutral and impartial manner.”

There was no immediate comment from the World Food Program, and a WFP spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel has pledged to open more crossings into Gaza and increase aid flows after a drone strike killed seven aid workers delivering food to the Palestinian territory.

The war started when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Israel’s offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying Hamas has caused widespread destruction and killed more than 33,800 people, according to local health officials. Hundreds of United Nations and other humanitarian workers have been killed in Israeli attacks.

International officials say famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where 70 percent of the population is experiencing catastrophic hunger.

The U.S. military will build so-called modular causeways as part of a sea route in the hope that inspection and processing of aid at sea will speed up distribution to the people of Gaza.

The Army will build a large floating platform at sea where ships can unload relief supplies. Aid will then be transferred via warships to a series of motorized steel piers or causeway sections that will be anchored ashore.

Several army ships and military sealift command ships are already in the Mediterranean, preparing and building platforms and docks.

The terminal is expected to be 550 meters long and have two lanes. The Pentagon said the terminal can transport more than 2 million meals to Gaza residents every day.

Army Col. Sam Miller, commander of the 7th Transportation Brigade, which is building the pier, said about 500 of his soldiers will participate in the mission. Pentagon officials said a total of about 1,000 U.S. troops will be involved.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters this week that the United States is expected to deploy the system by the end of this month or early May. Actual construction of the terminal has been put on hold as U.S. and international officials finalize agreements to collect and distribute aid.

He said the United States has been making progress and Israel has agreed to provide shore security. The White House has made it clear that there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in Gaza, so while they will build parts of the dock, they will not be moving aid ashore.

U.S. Navy and Army ships will provide security for U.S. forces building the pier.