President Joe Biden will announce in his State of the Union address on Thursday that the US military will build a temporary port on the Mediterranean coast of Gaza for Palestinians to receive humanitarian aid by sea, senior administration officials said, Reuters reported.

Planning for the operation, which was initially based on the island of Cyprus, does not include the deployment of US military personnel to Gaza, officials said at a press briefing.

The temporary port will accommodate large ships with food, water, medical supplies and temporary shelters.

Washington will work with European and regional partners and allies to build an international coalition of countries to provide capabilities and funds, officials said.

An Israeli official said Israel “fully supports the deployment of the temporary dock” on the Gaza coast, and the operation “will be conducted in full coordination between the two sides.”

The temporary port would increase humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the war-torn enclave by “hundreds of additional trucks” a day, the official said, adding that the United States would coordinate security with Israel.

The US operation will be based on an initiative by the Cypriot government to collect humanitarian aid in the port city of Larnaca, 210 nautical miles from Gaza, officials said.

Officials also said Hamas is delaying a new deal with Israel for a six-week ceasefire and hostage releases because the Islamists who rule Gaza are refusing to release sick and elderly prisoners.

Hamas blamed the confrontation on Israel’s rejection of its demands to end the offensive and withdraw its forces.

Biden’s decision to order the construction of the temporary port came amid UN warnings of mass starvation among the enclave’s 2.3 million Palestinians after nearly five months of fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas.

A staunch supporter of Israel, Biden is facing mounting political pressure to end the Israeli offensive.

Large areas of Gaza have been destroyed and most of the population displaced by intense Israeli bombardment and fighting triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel says the Hamas invasion has claimed 1,200 lives and the Islamists have taken 253 hostages. Health officials in Gaza say the number of people killed in the subsequent offensive launched by Israel has exceeded 30,800.