The US military will establish a temporary port on the Gaza coast to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the beleaguered territory.

In his State of the Union address on Thursday US President Joe Biden said the "temporary pier" will be able to "receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters".

He insisted "no US boots will be on the ground".

"This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day," he said.

"But Israel must also do its part.

"Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren't caught in the crossfire."

US President Joe Biden delivers a State of the Union address in Washington DC, 7-2-23. Image: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy

President Biden also took aim at Israel, acknowledging that most of those killed in Gaza "are not Hamas".

"This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined," he said.

"More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of whom are not Hamas.

"Thousands and thousands are innocent women and children, girls and boys also orphaned.

"Nearly two million more Palestinians under bombardment or displaced. Homes destroyed, neighborhoods in rubble, cities in ruin.

"Families without food, water, medicine. It’s heartbreaking," he said.

President Biden added that humanitarian assistance "cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip."

"Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority," he said.

Maritime aid

Shipments will come via Cyprus enabled by the US military and a coalition of partners and allies, US officials told NBC News.

Earlier this week, EU officials were in Cyprus to discuss the establishment of a maritime aid corridor with a platform at Larnaca on the island.

Israel has been accused of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7th.

The number of Palestinians killed has reached more than 30,700, according to the Hamas-led health ministry in Gaza.

The territory is facing a worsening humanitarian catastrophe, with aid groups warning that it has become nearly impossible to deliver supplies within most of Gaza.

Palestinians look at a mosque destroyed in an Israeli strike in Rafah, Gaza Strip, 24-1-24. Image: AP Photo/Fatima Shbair

Many Palestinians, especially in the devastated north, are scrambling for food to survive.

France has joined the US, Jordanian, Egyptians and Emiratis in carrying out aid drops, but they are only used in a last resort and it is difficult to ensure the aid gets to the right place.

Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman said they welcomed their "allies' support in getting more aid to the people that need it" and insisted there were "no limits on the amount of aid that can go into Gaza".

The head of the World Health Organisation has warned children who survived the Israeli bombardment of Gaza may not survive a famine.

Additional reporting: IRN

Main image: A US aircraft loader is used to move bundles of humanitarian aid to be airdropped in Gaza at an undisclosed location, 5-3-24. Image: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy