US aid pier in Gaza restored following storm damage

The United States has reestablished a temporary pier in Gaza to boost aid deliveries into the devastated territory after it suffered storm damage and underwent repairs in a nearby port, the country’s military announced on Friday.

Gaza has been reeling from nine months of Israeli operations against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which have displaced the population and left them in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

“US Central Command (CENTCOM) successfully reestablished the temporary pier in Gaza, enabling the continued delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza,” the military command responsible for the Middle East said in a social media post.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, deputy head of CENTCOM, stated that they expect to resume the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the sea in the coming days. He emphasized that the policy of no US boots on the ground remains in effect, with Israeli forces assisting with the process on shore.

“The Israeli Defense Force engineers were the enabling force on the beach,” Cooper explained, highlighting that the same unit had been trained by the US military several months ago on how to conduct the operation.

Last month, over two million pounds of humanitarian aid were delivered via the pier before it was damaged by high seas. Cooper noted that the aid from the pier to Gaza was the second-highest volume of aid entering the territory from any crossing during that period.

“After its proven success, we expect to increase the volume of humanitarian assistance provided through the pier over the previous levels,” Cooper added.

The damaged pier was repaired in the Israeli port of Ashdod before being brought back to the Gaza coast and reestablished on Friday.

Gaza has been engulfed in a war following Hamas’s attack on Israel in October, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza, according to official figures.

Israel’s delay in allowing aid into Gaza has left the population without essential supplies such as clean water, food, medicines, and fuel.

The plans for the pier were initially announced by US President Joe Biden in March as Israel hindered aid deliveries. US Army troops and vessels were dispatched to the Mediterranean to construct the pier.

In addition to the maritime corridor for aid shipments, the United States has also delivered assistance by air. However, air drops were suspended due to fighting in northern Gaza, with Cooper stating that they expect them to resume in the coming days.

The reestablishment of the temporary pier in Gaza signifies a crucial step in providing much-needed humanitarian aid to the embattled territory and its population in dire need of assistance.