Construction of Pier Off Gaza Underway for Complex and Dangerous Aid Delivery Mission by US Military

The United States has embarked on a groundbreaking mission to construct a temporary pier at sea to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the starving population in Gaza. The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the construction of the pier, which will facilitate the delivery of up to 150 trucks of aid per day, has already begun.

US military vessels, including the USNS Benavidez, are currently working on the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea. The goal is to start delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza from the sea in early May, with plans to quickly scale up to 150 trucks per day once full operational capacity is achieved.

Despite the challenging conditions and potential security risks, the US military is committed to executing the mission for several months. President Joe Biden has ruled out the deployment of US troops on the ground in Gaza, with the Israel Defense Forces set to partner with the US military to anchor the causeway to the shore.

The aid will flow from Cyprus via commercial vessels to a large floating pier anchored miles off the coast of Gaza. From there, smaller Army boats will shuttle the aid to the causeway anchored to the shore, where trucks driven by a partner country will pick up the aid for distribution.

The US role in this complex and high-stakes mission involves both military construction efforts and diplomatic coordination to ensure the safe and efficient distribution of aid. The ultimate goal is to establish the pier as a commercial operation that can be utilized by other countries and non-governmental organizations in the future.