Pentagon to Cease Gaza Pier Aid Delivery Mission
The deputy commander of U.S. Central Command stated that the pier was always meant to be a temporary solution until its mission was fulfilled.
The Pentagon has announced the dismantling of a temporary pier constructed by the U.S. military to assist with the influx of aid into Gaza.
Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander at U.S. Central Command, confirmed on July 17 that the Trident Pier, a temporary 1,200-foot floating dock anchored in the sand off Gaza, will now be taken down.
“Our evaluation indicates that the temporary pier has successfully achieved its objective of increasing aid flow into Gaza and ensuring quick delivery to civilians in need,” Vice Adm. Cooper explained.
“The pier provided a crucial alternative for aid delivery to Gaza during a critical period when other routes were facing challenges. Without the pier, much-needed aid would not have reached the people of Gaza in a timely manner.”
Vice Adm. Cooper reported that nearly 20 million pounds of aid were transported through the floating pier at a total cost of $230 million. Initially, the pier was projected to deliver up to two million humanitarian aid meals or 150 trucks of assistance daily to Gaza’s population of 2.2 million.
Efforts will now shift towards land-based delivery routes, with U.S. vessels transporting aid from Cyprus to Israel’s Port of Ashdod for subsequent delivery via trucks through the northern Gaza border crossing.
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“The most effective and efficient way to deliver aid to Gaza is through land routes, so we are transitioning the maritime surge mission from the temporary pier in Gaza to the Port of Ashdod, Israel,” Vice Adm. Cooper noted.
“In the upcoming weeks, we anticipate that millions of pounds of aid will arrive in Gaza via this new channel,” he added.
The specific date for dismantling the pier was not disclosed.
Repeatedly Damage in Bad Weather
Since becoming operational on May 17, operations at the pier have been halted thrice due to inclement weather and rough sea conditions.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh stated on May 28 that four U.S. Army vessels, serving as stabilizers for the Trident Pier, broke loose from their anchors and ran aground in Gaza three days earlier. The troops onboard had to be evacuated.
On June 27, the Pentagon inspector general’s office announced its intention to review the military’s handling of the pier mission. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s inspector general also plans to review aid distribution across the Gaza Strip.
Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, criticized the operation, stating on July 17 that the pier, during transit, spent twice as much time as it was in use.
