The US military’s efforts to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip have been temporarily halted due to damage sustained by the temporary pier system off the coast of Gaza.
Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh confirmed that the damage was caused by a “perfect storm of high sea states” and that Army engineers are working to repair the pier, with the hope of it being fully operational within a week.
The temporary pier, known as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, was announced by President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address in March and became operational just two weeks ago. It was designed to increase the amount of aid delivered to Gaza and help combat the famine that has broken out in the north of the besieged Strip.
In addition to the damage to the pier, four small US military boats involved in transporting aid broke from their moorings over the weekend due to bad weather. Two of the boats reportedly washed up on the coast of southern Israel near Ashdod, while the other two were beached in Gaza. An American service member remains in critical condition in an Israeli hospital after suffering noncombat injuries on the pier last week, with two other service members sustaining minor injuries.
The damage to the pier and the incidents involving the boats have added to the challenges faced by the US military in their efforts to provide aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. At full operating capacity, the pier is supposed to deliver up to 150 trucks’ worth of aid every day.
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