Rebuilding, repairing of Gaza pier 'ongoing': Pentagon

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US is still working to rebuild and repair a temporary humanitarian pier off the coast of Gaza after rough seas caused motorized sections to run aground last month, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Monday.

"The rebuilding and repairing of the pier is ongoing at (the Port of) Ashdod. Additionally, the recovering of the remaining two army vessels that were beached near the Trident Pier is ongoing, with assistance from the Israeli Navy," Sabrina Singh told reporters.

On May 25, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that “heavy sea states” affected four US Army vessels which broke free from their moorings, with two vessels now anchored on the beach near the pier. The third and fourth vessels are beached on the coast of Israel near Ashkelon, it added.

"I believe the Army vessels just did take on a lot of water and sand, so the recovery efforts are just proving to be a little bit more difficult. But we are working with the Israeli Navy to make sure that they can be pushed back and will be operational," Singh said.

Alongside the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and other humanitarian organizations, the US is committed to working with the international community to ensure that humanitarian aid gets into Gaza "as quickly as possible," she said.

Asked about the anchoring date, Singh said "we'd be looking at sometime this week, most likely, to anchor. Of course, we're always assessing environmental and security conditions on the ground, but hopeful that we are moving towards progress sometime this week."

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 (Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore) -- the floating pier and the Trident pier -- became operational on May 17 when trucks carrying humanitarian assistance began moving ashore via the pier.