Israel did not use floating aid pier off Gaza during hostage rescue operation: Pentagon

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) – The Pentagon on Monday rejected claims that Israel used the US’s floating aid pier off Gaza during its hostage rescue operation but said there was some type of activity "nearby."

"I don't have a proximate location...It was near, but I think it's incidental," spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters when asked how close the rescue operation got to the pier.

"Again, the pier, the equipment, the personnel -- all supporting a humanitarian effort -- had nothing to do with the IDF rescue operation," he added.

Israeli forces rescued four hostages from Gaza on Saturday held since October by the Palestinian group Hamas in a raid on the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp, killing at least 274 Palestinians and wounding more than 700.

"We've acknowledged that there was some type of helicopter activity nearby, but that was completely separate and not associated with the JLOTS operation," Ryder said.

Reiterating that the pier "had nothing to do" with the rescue operation, he said: "I can tell you that there was no US military involvement in this rescue operation, nor were there any US forces on the ground."

Ryder underscored that the pier's "only purpose" is to help move additional urgently needed lifesaving assistance to Gaza.

The US resumed aid delivery to Gaza via the pier on Saturday which was reestablished after it broke apart in rough seas late last month.

Rough seas affected four US Army vessels supporting the maritime humanitarian aid mission in Gaza, and the vessels broke free from their moorings, resulting in two vessels being anchored on the beach near the pier. The third and fourth vessels were beached on the coast of Israel near Ashkelon.

US President Joe Biden ordered the establishment of a sea route to deliver food and other aid to Palestinians on March 8 amid Israeli restrictions and months of conflict in the enclave.​​​​​​​

The JLOTS -- the floating pier and the Trident pier -- became operational on May 17 when trucks carrying humanitarian assistance began moving ashore via the pier.

The initial cost of the pier was estimated at $320 million. But the Pentagon said Wednesday that the price had dropped to $230 million due to contributions from the UK and because the cost of contracting trucks and other equipment was "lower than expected."