US temporarily removes Gaza aid pier due to weather

The US military has removed the aid pier built to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza due to adverse weather conditions.

Officials stated that there is a possibility the pier may not be reinstalled, depending on future aid flow into Gaza, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The pier, part of President Joe Biden’s $230 million initiative to deliver emergency food supplies to Gaza, has faced multiple challenges since its launch on May 17. Although the pier has been instrumental in delivering over 19.4 million pounds (8.6 million kilograms) of food, aid efforts have been hindered by security issues and the impact of recent weather conditions.

The United Nations paused its food distribution efforts on June 9 following an Israeli military operation that used the pier’s vicinity to conduct a raid, which resulted in the deaths of over 270 Palestinians. This operation raised safety and neutrality concerns for UN aid workers, prompting a review of the pier’s role.

Weather-related issues have also plagued the pier’s operations, with rough seas damaging it shortly after it first began functioning and causing its temporary removal for repairs. The latest weather conditions forced another removal of the pier to the Israeli port at Ashdod on Friday.

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh confirmed that while there are plans to potentially reinstall the pier after the weather improves, no final decision has been made. She also noted that the marshalling yard for aid supplies is nearly full and that the US is currently in discussions with aid agencies about managing the distribution of food supplies.