The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced today, Friday, that the pier built by the US military off the coast of Gaza has been removed again due to sea conditions. The spokesperson for the Pentagon, Sabrina Singh, told reporters that it is not logical to reinstall it until aid is transferred from a nearby assembly area to the people in Gaza.
Singh added that the military will monitor the weather conditions to determine when to reinstall the pier, but acknowledged that the assembly area is nearly full of stored aid expected to be distributed by the United Nations. She stated, “If there is not enough space in the assembly area, it is not logical for us to place our men and women there when there is nothing to transport.”
In March, in response to the famine threat in Gaza, President Biden announced the establishment of a floating US military pier off the Gaza coast as a means to deliver food and other relief supplies. The US military was tasked with operating the pier until the end of July, but Isobel Coleman, Deputy Director for Policy and Programs at the US Agency for International Development, stated this week that the administration may seek to extend the operation of the sea pier for at least another month.
The pier has been reconnected to the beach twice this month after being temporarily removed due to rough sea conditions.
