President Joe Biden directed the U.S. military on Thursday to establish a temporary port off the coast of Gaza, collaborating with international partners to create a sea route for delivering essential aid to Palestinian civilians affected by the Hamas-Israel conflict and Israeli restrictions on humanitarian access by land.

While affirming support for Israel, Biden used the State of the Union speech to reiterate months of U.S. appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The calls include changing the conduct of the war, increasing aid access to Gaza, and enhancing protection for humanitarian workers.

Biden emphasized the importance of humanitarian assistance and urged Israel to prioritize it, emphasizing that it should not be used as a bargaining chip, the Associated Press reported.

Additionally, he called for greater efforts to protect civilians in the conflict and advocated for the long-term solution of working towards Palestinian statehood to address Israeli-Palestinian violence.

The U.S. announcement reflects a deepening involvement in the conflict as the situation escalates, with increasing pressure on Biden to take more decisive action to alleviate near-famine conditions in Gaza.

The move also indicates a shift to an unconventional approach after months of urging Israel, a close ally and major recipient of U.S. military aid, to enhance access and protection for humanitarian goods entering Gaza.

Efforts to achieve a cease-fire before the upcoming Muslim holy month of Ramadan faced obstacles on

Thursday, with Hamas announcing the departure of its delegation from Cairo, where cease-fire talks were ongoing. The proposed cease-fire included a substantial infusion of aid into Gaza.

Written by B.C. Begley