The humanitarian sea corridor has reopened, facilitating the delivery of essential supplies to the civilian population of Gaza, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder announced today.
The Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) facility was re-anchored on Friday, with supplies starting to flow on Saturday. “To date, over 1,573 metric tons, or approximately 3.5 million pounds, of humanitarian aid have been delivered to the shore for onward distribution,” Ryder stated. Since the operation began on Saturday, 492 metric tons, or about 1.1 million pounds, have been transported across the pier.
Ryder firmly dismissed allegations on social media suggesting that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) utilized the humanitarian pier facility in a mission to rescue four hostages. “The humanitarian pier facility — including its equipment, personnel, and assets — was not used in the IDF operation in Gaza,” he clarified. “Any such claim to the contrary is false.”
The JLOTS facility is a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza, solely intended to expedite the delivery of critical, life-saving assistance to the region, according to Ryder.
An American C-130 also delivered more than 10 metric tons of meals, ready-to-eat, to northern Gaza on Sunday. “To date, the U.S. has airdropped over 1,050 metric tons of humanitarian assistance,” Ryder added.
Aid delivered through the sea corridor is transferred to a marshaling yard, where the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Food Program (WFP) oversee its distribution to Palestinians in Gaza. Ensuring the security of aid convoys remains a challenge. “We’ll continue to work closely with USAID, the World Food Program, the Israelis, and all stakeholders to ensure security is prioritized,” Ryder said.
Weather conditions impact the delivery of aid via the sea corridor. “Sea conditions yesterday and today have hindered additional aid from crossing the causeway, but we expect operations to resume tomorrow,” Ryder noted. “JLOTS will persist in delivering aid to the assembly area, where NGOs like the World Food Program will collect it for further distribution.”
Ryder mentioned there is still capacity for more supplies in the marshaling yards. “We will continue to work with all stakeholders to address security concerns,” he said. “Our primary focus remains on delivering aid to the people of Gaza. The World Food Program has performed outstanding work in Gaza, and I am confident they will continue to find ways to assist.”–By Jim Garamone