The US military is planning to temporarily remove its humanitarian pier located off the coast of Gaza. This decision comes in response to the anticipated worsening of sea conditions. A US official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed this on Friday. The pier, which has faced numerous challenges since its installation in May, has had its operations disrupted by bad weather.
The floating pier, which plays a crucial role in bringing humanitarian aid into Gaza, had just resumed its activities after a suspension over the weekend. However, due to the expected rough sea conditions, the pier is likely to be moved to the Israeli port of Ashdod. This relocation will remain in effect until the sea conditions improve.
Humanitarian aid began arriving through the US-built pier on May 17. By May 28, the United Nations had managed to transport 137 trucks of aid, totaling around 900 metric tons, to their warehouses. However, operations were halted on May 28 to allow for necessary repairs. As of Friday, the UN announced that it had not yet resumed the transportation of aid from the pier to the World Food Programme warehouses. Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq stated that security teams are still working to ensure that safe conditions for humanitarian work can be restored.
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The initiative to install the pier was announced by US President Joe Biden in March. This move was part of an effort to deliver aid to Gaza, a region of 2.3 million people that is facing a severe famine.
The cost of the pier, for the first 90 days, is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The operation involves around 1,000 US service members who are working to ensure the aid reaches those in need.
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