The U.S. military reportedly completed the portions of a temporary pier that will be used to transport humanitarian aid into Gaza from the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, as reported by U.S. Central Command.
In a statement, CENTCOM declared that its personnel in Gaza had “secured an improvised pier to the coastline.” No United States military personnel entered Gaza in order to achieve this objective. It is anticipated that vehicles transporting humanitarian aid will begin their approach to land in the near future. The aid will be received by the United Nations, which will also be responsible for its distribution within Gaza.
A defense official informed CBS News on Wednesday that, “Earlier today, components of the temporary pier that comprise our Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, Ashdod Port, situated in northern Israel, is approximately 10 miles from Gaza.
The final relocation was postponed by the weather, despite the fact that the floating platform and the causeway had been completed the week prior.
As there are growing indications that Israel is preparing to attack the southern city of Rafah, Gaza has experienced an unprecedented surge in its demand for food and provisions in recent weeks. 450,000 Gazans have evacuated Rafah since May 6, according to USAID Response Director Daniel Dieckhaus.
“Humanitarian actors are encountering substantial obstacles in delivering aid to Rafah as a result of the closure of critical border crossings, as well as in accessing warehouses and disseminating aid due to the deteriorating situation,” Dieckhaus informed reporter on Wednesday.
A floating dock off the coast of Gaza was constructed by soldiers of the 7th Transportation Brigade and mariners from the MV Roy P. Benavidez, as depicted in an image published by the U.S. Army on April 26, 2024.
The Biden administration has claimed that the corridor will substantially increase the volume of aid entering the country. However, the pier is not intended to supplant the road entry sites, which are significantly more efficient at delivering aid rapidly.
According to a briefing by defense officials late last month, it is expected that the corridor will deliver 150 trucks’ worth of aid per day when it reaches its utmost capacity, an increase from the initial 90 trucks per day. The United Nations estimates that approximately 500 vehicles transporting humanitarian supplies must enter Gaza each day in order to accommodate the Palestinians who are imprisoned there.
It is expected that the aid corridor will commence in Cyprus, where it will be inspected and loaded onto ships for the journey to the floating platform in the eastern Mediterranean, a distance of approximately 200 miles. Upon its arrival, the aid will be transported to the causeway that connects to Gaza’s littoral by U.S. military vessels. The aid will be transported into Gaza from that location by trucks operated by a third party, rather than by U.S. forces.
The United Nations is coordinating the distribution of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza, while the Israeli military is assuring security along the beachhead, according to the Pentagon.
Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, informed reporters that hundreds of tons of aid are prepared for delivery once the corridor is operational, with thousands more tons en route.
The Pentagon has estimated that the corridor will cost approximately $320 million.
In March, President Biden disclosed the maritime corridor during his State of the Union address. He conveyed the following to the Israeli leadership after fulfilling his obligation to provide a pier: “Humanitarian aid should not be considered a secondary concern or a negotiating point.” The preservation and safeguarding of innocent lives must be prioritized.
Mr. Biden has declared that no American forces will be permitted to enter Gaza. A short distance from the coast, approximately Approximately one thousand United States service members are dedicated to the maritime corridor operation. Mr. Biden has declared that no American forces will be permitted to enter Gaza. Approximately 1,000 U.S. service members are dedicated to
