Badly needed aid has finally been delivered into Gaza from a newly repaired American-built pier, announced U.S. Central Command on Saturday. This development comes after a series of setbacks that had hindered the efforts to bring essential supplies to Palestinians by sea.
The pier, constructed by the American military, was only operational for about a week before it was severely damaged in high winds and heavy seas on May 25. However, after undergoing repairs at an Israeli port, the damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday. This repair allowed for the delivery of approximately 1.1 million pounds of aid on Saturday, according to CENTCOM. Overall, a total of 3.5 million pounds of aid have been successfully delivered since the pier initially opened in mid-May.
The delivery of aid coincided with Israel’s heavy air and ground assault on the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, which resulted in the rescue of four hostages who had been taken by Hamas during a previous assault on October 7. The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza reported that at least 210 Palestinians were killed during the raid, with over 400 others sustaining injuries.
Video footage circulating online shows an Israel Defense Forces helicopter taking off from the beach with the U.S. pier in the background. While two U.S. officials confirmed that the pier was not used in the IDF operation, they clarified that the helicopter landed south of the facility on a beach but not within the cordoned area of the pier. The U.S. officials emphasized that the temporary pier was specifically put in place to facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid to Gaza.
In a subsequent statement, U.S. Central Command reiterated that the pier facility, along with its equipment, personnel, and assets, was not utilized in the rescue operation conducted by Israel. The repair of the pier now provides a critical means to deliver essential food and emergency supplies to Palestinians who have been severely impacted by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Israeli restrictions on land crossings and the conflict itself have significantly impeded the flow of vital supplies into the territory.
The damage to the pier was just one of the numerous challenges faced by the aid project, which has been striving to provide much-needed assistance to the suffering Palestinian population. During the initial efforts to transport aid from the pier into Gaza, aid agencies encountered difficulties as crowds overwhelmed a convoy of trucks, stripping cargo from many vehicles before reaching a U.N. warehouse. Subsequently, officials adjusted travel routes, enabling aid to reach those in need.
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, expressed confidence in the project’s ability to deliver larger quantities of aid following the lessons learned from the initial week of operations. The goal now is to move 1 million pounds of food and supplies through the pier into Gaza every two days. Prior to the causeway’s destruction, more than 2.4 million pounds of aid had been successfully delivered.
The U.S. Agency for International Development, in collaboration with the U.N. World Food Program and other humanitarian partners, is actively engaged in distributing food, emergency nutrition treatment for malnourished children, and other aid via the sea route. Relief agencies have been urging Israel to reopen land routes to facilitate the delivery of all necessary aid. However, Israel has cited security concerns and has accused the U.N. of failing to distribute aid effectively. The U.N., on the other hand, has cited security challenges as a major obstacle to aid distribution.
U.N. agencies have issued warnings that over one million Palestinians in Gaza could face severe starvation by the middle of the following month if hostilities persist. President Biden’s administration has emphasized that while the pier is not a complete solution, any amount of aid provided is beneficial.
President Biden initially announced plans for the U.S. military to construct the pier during his State of the Union address in early March. Despite the original estimated cost of $320 million, the Pentagon disclosed that the price had decreased to $230 million due to contributions from Britain and lower-than-expected contracting costs for trucks and equipment.
In conclusion, the successful repair of the American-built pier represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to deliver crucial aid to the beleaguered population in Gaza. Despite the challenges faced along the way, the commitment to providing assistance to those in need remains unwavering.
