The US Department of Defense, known as the Pentagon, stated that none of the aid unloaded from the offshore pier built by the United States off the coast of Gaza has been delivered to a wide range of Palestinian residents.
Days ago, the US Central Command, CENTCOM, stated that over 569 metric tons of humanitarian aid had been delivered to Gaza via the temporary pier so far.
US news network CNN quoted Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder as saying on Tuesday that Washington is working with Israel and the United Nations to establish “alternate routes” for the safe delivery of the 569 tons of aid transported to Gaza since last week.
Responding to a question about whether any of the aid had been delivered to the people of Gaza, Ryder said, “Not as of today.”
He added that “the aid has been stored in the assembly area on the beach, but as of Tuesday, it has begun to be transported to warehouses for distribution throughout Gaza, with alternate routes established.”
US President Joe Biden first announced plans for the floating port in early March, amidst Israel’s refusal to deliver aid overland, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Wide areas of the Gaza Strip, especially the north, are facing a severe hunger crisis, amid international warnings of the besieged enclave slipping into full-fledged famine.
