U.S. military efforts to construct a floating pier off the Gaza coast, aimed at bolstering humanitarian aid delivery to the besieged enclave, are set to cost an estimated $320 million, according to Pentagon officials. The pier, known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, is meant to provide a new way to deliver badly needed aid into Gaza.
Pentagon spokeswoman, Sabrina Singh, provided reporters with a breakdown of the costs, which includes transportation of equipment and pier sections from the U.S. to Gaza, as well as construction and aid delivery operations. The U.S. military has deployed the USNS Roy P. Benavidez and other Army vessels to build the floating platform, with satellite images confirming the presence of these ships about 5 miles offshore.
The construction sequence involves the Benavidez laying down a two-lane metal causeway spanning 1,800 feet, which will be anchored to the shore by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). This system will allow commercial ships from Cyprus to transfer pallets of aid onto trucks, which will then be transported to Gaza via the causeway.
The U.S. military official said deliveries on the sea route initially will total about 90 trucks a day and could quickly increase to about 150 trucks daily. However, aid organizations assert that several hundred trucks are needed daily to meet Gaza’s requirements. The pier is anticipated to be operational by early May, with U.S. and Israeli officials coordinating closely on the project.
Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement Thursday referred to the mortar attack as “unfortunate but predictable.”
“This has been an ill-conceived mission from the start. President Biden should never have put our men and women in this position, and he should abandon this project immediately before any U.S. troops are injured,” Wicker said.
Since the outbreak of hostilities, over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, and Israel’s stringent control over aid entry has precipitated a food scarcity crisis. Under pressure from the U.S. and others, Israel says the situation is improving, though United Nations agencies have said much more aid needs to enter.
Khalil al-Hayya, a high-ranking Hamas official, has declared that any forces stationed by the pier to guard it would be viewed as an “occupying force and aggression,” hinting at potential resistance. Moreover, a recent mortar attack targeted the port site, although no injuries were reported.
Relevant articles:
– US military pier in Gaza to cost $320 million, Pentagon estimates, Navy Times, 04/30/2024
– US military ships are working to build a pier for Gaza aid. It’s going to cost at least $320 million, The Associated Press, Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:54:00 GMT
– Pier for Gaza aid to cost US $320 million, Voice of America – VOA News, Mon, 29 Apr 2024 21:19:11 GMT
– US military’s Gaza aid pier to cost $320 million, nearly double initial estimate, The Times of Israel, Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:37:00 GMT
– US military pier for Gaza costs $320 million, Pentagon says, Stars and Stripes, Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:42:46 GMT