The US, EU and other countries are working to deliver food and other relief supplies to Gaza via a sea corridor. The move comes as aid workers have warned that residents are facing an imminent threat of starvation.

Israel has almost completely cut off land routes to Gaza. A number of airdrops have been conducted, but they have not been enough to make up for a lack of food and medicine.

US officials announced the establishment of a maritime corridor that uses a temporary floating pier. The EU is one of the partners joining the plan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited a port in Cyprus to see some of the preparation work. She said the first "pilot operation" will happen as soon as Friday.

She added, "Despite all the challenges -- and this is truly inspiring -- we are now very close to the opening of the corridor."

Countries participating in the project released a joint statement on Friday acknowledging the route will be "complex." They said the corridor must be part of a "sustained effort" to increase the flow of aid through "all possible routes."

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed his concern that the US-led plan would take time.

Israeli forces were accused late last month of killing more than 100 people gathered around a truck that was delivering aid. However, after an investigation, military officials say troops shot at people they describe as "suspects" to remove a "threat."

Palestinians reject that conclusion and have called for an independent international investigation.