The European Union is urging the opening of a maritime aid corridor to Gaza

The destruction left by the Israeli offensive on Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, is seen by a Palestinian as she walks past it.

A maritime corridor to Gaza, part of a global effort to provide aid to the encircled territory, could be operational as soon as this weekend, according to the head of the European Commission.

The head of the Spanish aid group Open Arms, Ursula von der Leyen, told reporters in Cyprus that a vessel belonging to the group is prepared for a test run along the corridor. A U.S. charity, World Central Kitchen, is waiting for permission to deliver food aid to the ship at the island's port of Larnaca.

The European Union, the United Arab Emirates and the United States are joining forces to launch this maritime corridor from Cyprus, von der Leyen said after touring the port's facilities.

There are innocent Palestinian families and children desperate for basic needs in Gaza, she said.

The comments come a day after President Joe Biden said the U.S. military would establish a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to help deliver aid to the region.

The construction of the pier is expected to take around 60 days, according to military officials.

According to the Associated Press, World Central Kitchen is also building a pier to receive aid from the vessel in Cyprus.

Biden told reporters on Friday that he needed to do more to let relief into Gaza.

Biden was caught on a hot mic Thursday night saying that he and the Israeli leader would need to have a meeting.

Biden made the comments while he was speaking to Democratic Senator Michael Bennet on the floor of the House after the State of the Union address.

Biden was urged to press Netanyahu to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Biden used Netanyahu's nickname, "Bibi, and don't repeat this, but you and I are going to have a 'come to Jesus' meeting."

The senior U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, told reporters on Friday that the organization is in favor of the idea of a waterway. She pointed out, however, that waterways and aerial drops of aid aren't a substitute for delivering vital supplies via trucks on land.

She said that the maritime plan, nevertheless, will provide very important help.

Five people died at the Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza after the parachute malfunctioned and the parcel landed in a residential area, according to medical personnel and eyewitnesses on Friday.

The head of emergency care at the Al Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City confirmed the deaths.

CBS News reported that an initial review indicated that the U.S. airdrop was not responsible for the fatalities on the ground, but that further investigation was required.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was up to Hamas whether a cease-fire took place in Gaza in the near future.

Despite reports that Hamas negotiators had left talks in Cairo, Blinken said the U.S. is continuing to work toward a cease-fire in Gaza.

At this time, we're also incredibly focused on negotiating a cease-fire," Blinken told reporters. "And there, the issue is Hamas. The question is whether Hamas will decide or not to have a cease-fire that would benefit everyone. The ball is in their possession. We are working on it intensively.

Information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.