Aid began arriving in the Gaza Strip from southern Israel on Sunday, after weather damaged an American-made “floating dock” in the Mediterranean Sea.
The new aid deployment flows through southern Israel due to disagreements with Egypt. The IDF has seized the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, which has normally been used to transport aid throughout the conflict.
Egypt closed its side of the border when Israel took control of the Gaza side of the crossing and says it will not reopen it until control is granted to the Palestinians.
Hundreds of aid trucks traveled through Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing this weekend, but United Nations workers say they have had difficulty accessing aid due to intense fighting nearby.
Aid has become even more vital thanks to damage to the US-built “floating dock” off the coast of Gaza. Rough seas dislodged four vessels that had been stabilizing the dock this weekend.
US MILITARY BUILDING HUGE METAL DOCK AMID BIDEN'S $320 MILLION BET TO BRING AID TO GAZA
Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid from the United Arab Emirates and the United States Agency for International Development cross the Trident pier before entering the beach in Gaza, May 17, 2024. The pier has since been damaged by the rough sea.
Two of the ships floated north and landed on a beach in Ashdod, Israel, while the other two remain anchored on the beach near the pier, according to the Wall Street Journal.
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“Efforts are underway to recover the vessels with the assistance of the Israeli Navy,” US Central Command said.
The United States spent approximately $320 million building the pier, which has been a conduit for aid from the United States and other countries. While the dock has been used to transfer approximately 569 metric tons of aid to Gaza, none of that aid had been delivered to the Palestinians until last week, the Pentagon confirmed.
Aid began arriving in Gaza from southern Israel on Sunday after weather damaged an American-made “floating dock” in the Mediterranean Sea.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, who serves as Pentagon press secretary, confirmed the aid delay in a statement to reporters Tuesday.
Approximately 1,000 US soldiers have participated in the construction of the pier. Both the United States and Israel have emphasized that no American troops entered Gaza during the operation, but three American troops were injured in accidents during operations at the dock over the past week.
GROWING CONTROVERSY OVER BIDEN'S GAZA DOCK FEEDS CONCERNS ABOUT COST AND SECURITY
Palestinians gather in hopes of getting aid sent to Gaza via a US-built pier, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, seen from the center of the Gaza Strip. (REUTERS/Ramadan Abed/File Photo)
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The United States says the pier remains largely operational despite damage suffered this weekend. The Israeli navy is assisting in efforts to recover the two ships that washed ashore in Ashdod, the Journal reported.
