ARTICLE 20.jpg

by Jewish News Channel

Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 9:30 AM

Damaged US Pier on Gaza Coast To Be Removed And Repaired

The temporary U.S.-built pier designed to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza will be removed for repairs after sustaining damage from rough seas and adverse weather conditions, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday.

Over the next two days, the pier will be transported to the southern Israeli city of Ashdod, where U.S. Central Command will carry out necessary repairs. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh informed reporters that the repair process will take “at least over a week” before the pier can be re-anchored back on Gaza’s coast.

The pier, essential for delivering food, water, and other supplies to Palestinians facing severe food shortages, is one of the few operational routes amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

This latest setback adds to the difficulties faced by the $320 million pier, which has been operational for just two weeks.

During this time, three U.S. service members have been injured, and four vessels were beached due to heavy seas.

Deliveries were also halted last week when crowds rushed aid trucks, resulting in one Palestinian man’s death. Consequently, the U.S. military, along with the U.N. and Israeli officials, has been working on establishing safer alternate routes for aid delivery.

The pier was functional as recently as Saturday, but heavy seas caused four Army boats to break free from their moorings, with two vessels beached on Gaza and two on the Israeli coast near Ashkelon.

Before the damage and suspension, the pier had successfully delivered over 820 metric tons of food aid to Gaza.

Efforts to continue providing aid include planned airdrops of food.


Jewish News Channel
Jewish News Channel

At JNC we pride ourselves on delivering timely and accurate reporting on a wide range of topics, from politics and religion to culture and social issues, all through the lens of Jewish identity and values. Our dedicated team of journalists and correspondents is committed to bringing you the latest developments and insights that matter most to the Jewish community.


Share this column


ADH logo text
Download on the App Store
Stay connected
© AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL HOLDINGS 2024Privacy PolicyTerms of Service