Pentagon confirms Gaza pier was not utilized in Israel’s hostage rescue mission
The Pentagon confirmed that there was ‘some type of helicopter activity’ near the pier.
On Monday, the Pentagon clarified that social media claims suggesting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) utilized the U.S.-built pier in Gaza for a hostage rescue mission were deemed “inaccurate.”
Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder informed reporters that the pier, its equipment, personnel, and resources were not part of the IDF’s rescue operation in Gaza.
Mr. Ryder stressed that the temporary pier constructed by the U.S. Army was solely meant for “transporting essential life-saving aid to Gaza” amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Although he acknowledged “some type of helicopter activity” nearby, he clarified that inquiries regarding this should be directed to the Israeli side as it was “completely unrelated” to the pier’s activities.
During a press briefing, Mr. Ryder stated, “That is a matter for the IDF. I do not have the exact location… It was nearby, but I believe it was incidental.”
He reiterated that the pier, its equipment, and personnel were dedicated to humanitarian efforts and had no involvement in the IDF’s rescue operation.
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He assured that U.S. personnel were not at a “heightened risk” due to the proximity to the IDF’s operation while reiterating that the pier had “no connection to the rescue mission.”
Mr. Ryder clarified, “There was no U.S. military involvement in their rescue operation, and no U.S. forces were present on the ground.”
Following the IDF’s announcement on June 8, stating the successful rescue of four hostages in Gaza, including Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan disclosed on June 9 that innocent casualties had occurred during the operation.
Reports from Hamas-affiliated health facilities documented 274 deaths and around 700 injuries following the raid.
The Epoch Times could not verify the casualty figures reported by Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization.
On May 16, the makeshift pier known as the Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) system was initially fixed to the shoreline and began facilitating humanitarian activities on May 17. After being rendered inoperable by storms on May 25, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on June 7 that the pier had been repaired and reconnected to the Gaza shoreline.
Mr. Ryder highlighted that since its operational restoration on June 8, the pier had successfully delivered 492 metric tons (approximately 1.1 million pounds) of aid, contributing to a total of over 1,573 metric tons (approximately 3.5 million pounds) of humanitarian assistance distributed from shore onward.
Both the JLOTS pier and air-drops have been utilized by the U.S. military to bolster humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza amidst reports of an impending famine.
Lorenz Duchamps and Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.
