US-built Gaza Pier Collapses in Severe Weather
The US military's temporary pier intended for aid transportation in Gaza collapsed during heavy seas, delivering a significant setback to the American-led initiative to establish a maritime route for humanitarian assistance into the conflict-ridden region. As reported by four US officials, the structure's failure poses challenges to the delivery of crucial supplies into Gaza.
The temporary pier built by the US military to deliver aid to Gaza suffered damage in rough seas on Sunday, dealing a major setback to the American-led initiative to establish a sea route for humanitarian assistance to the conflict-ridden region, as reported by four US officials.
According to the officials, a portion of the pier, comprising a narrow path for transporting aid into Gaza and a larger area for unloading supplies from ships, became detached during the incident on Sunday. It will be necessary to reattach the unloading area to the path before the pier can be operational again.
One day after heavy seas caused two small US Army vessels to beach in Israel, another setback occurred. According to US Central Command, two more vessels broke free of their moorings and are now anchored near the pier.
Officials stated that the work to reassemble the causeway and reconnect it to the parking area will continue once sea conditions improve.
The pier, which cost $320 million, started operating on May 17. However, heavy seas caused maritime shipments to halt just one week later on May 24. Two days before part of the pier disconnected. It is uncertain when shipments will start again.
The temporary pier, known as the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS), can only function in very good sea conditions. According to CNN, JLOTS can safely operate in waves no higher than 3 feet and winds of about 15 miles per hour.
The deployment of the pier was delayed for several weeks due to rough sea conditions, causing the system to remain docked in the Israeli port of Ashdod until conditions improved.
It is important to note that the temporary pier is intended to support humanitarian shipments passing through the land crossings between Israel and Gaza, as emphasized by the US.
On Thursday, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, mentioned that 820 metric tons of aid had been sent to Gaza beach through the pier. The United Nations is in charge of distributing this aid to the Palestinian population.
Daniel Dieckhaus, the director of USAID's Levant Response Management Team, informed reporters that there is a large amount of aid, "thousands and thousands of tons," waiting in Cyprus to be transported through the maritime corridor. However, these shipments are currently on hold due to the temporary closure of the pier.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Editor's P/S:
The temporary pier's damage is a significant setback in efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. The pier, which cost $320 million, was only operational for one week before heavy seas halted maritime shipments and caused part of the pier to disconnect. The pier can only function in very good sea conditions, and shipments are currently on hold due to the temporary closure. This delay in aid delivery will have a significant impact on the Palestinian population in Gaza, who rely on humanitarian assistance for basic necessities.
The temporary pier is intended to support humanitarian shipments passing through the land crossings between Israel and Gaza. However, the pier's vulnerability to rough seas highlights the challenges of providing aid to Gaza through maritime routes. Alternative methods of delivering aid, such as through land crossings or airlifts, should be explored to ensure that the Palestinian population in Gaza receives the assistance they need.
