The temporary pier, in use since May 17 to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza, was removed Friday and towed to Ashdod, Israel, to prevent potential damage from high seas. Officials expect the pier to be back in place on the Mediterranean Sea this week.
“We anticipate the pier will become operational again this week,” stated Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing. “We also have the capability and intention to continue conducting airdrops.”
Despite being a temporary solution, the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore floating pier, also known as the “Trident Pier” or “the causeway,” has been instrumental in delivering aid. There are no current plans to discontinue its use.
“We’ve always maintained that the pier is a temporary measure,” Ryder said. “I don’t have any dates for when it will cease operations. We’re focused on getting it operational again soon to continue delivering aid.”
The pier, anchored to the Gaza shore on May 16, has faced damage and temporary shutdowns due to weather conditions. Nonetheless, it has successfully delivered over 3,500 metric tons, or 7.7 million pounds, of aid to Gaza.
“The big picture is to employ all avenues—land, sea, or air—to get assistance into Gaza,” Ryder emphasized. “Since the pier’s installation, we’ve been able to transport substantial amounts of aid to Gaza.”
The U.S. continues to collaborate with aid groups, the United Nations, Israel, and other partners to find additional ways to deliver aid into Gaza. U.S. Central Command (Centcom) has been conducting humanitarian airdrops of aid into Gaza since March, both independently and in partnership with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
Centcom has conducted nearly 40 missions, delivering over 1,050 metric tons of bulk food, water, and prepared meals. The latest air drop occurred on June 9, when a U.S. C-130 aircraft delivered more than 10 metric tons of meals ready to eat into Northern Gaza.–News Desk