The United States military has completed the construction of a temporary maritime pier system intended to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, despite challenges including adverse weather and ongoing regional hostilities. This pier, known as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) system, includes both a floating pier and a Trident pier, and represents a strategic initiative by the US government to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh confirmed to reporters that both components of the JLOTS have been finalized, though their final movement offshore to become operational is pending due to “forecasted high winds and high sea swells, which are causing unsafe conditions.” Singh further noted that the pier sections and military vessels involved in the construction remain positioned at the Port of Ashdod, Israel’s northern cargo port.
The JLOTS system is designed to bypass current land crossing constraints, particularly in light of the recent closure of the Rafah border crossing and tightened security around the Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings. The World Health Organization has sounded alarms over the possibility of famine in Gaza, where some 2.3 million residents face extreme hunger, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Israel and the surprise assault by Hamas militants that began last October.
In his State of the Union address on March 7, President Joe Biden announced the JLOTS operation as a critical element in the US response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The US Central Command has been pivotal in overseeing the project, with the Pentagon suggesting that the temporary pier would be ready for operations within approximately 60 days of the announcement.
The planned use of the JLOTS entails commercial ships carrying aid from Cyprus to the floating dock, where the aid will be transferred to smaller Army boats and then to aid groups via the causeway. About 1,000 American troops are involved in this operation, which totals a cost of around $320 million. In support of this effort, a cargo vessel, MV Sagamore, is being prepared in Cyprus to transport aid using the JLOTS.
The Pentagon has emphasized that while no US troops will set foot in Gaza, the safety of the American personnel involved has been a matter of concern among some lawmakers. Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, pointedly criticized the pier project following a mortar attack in the vicinity of the planned pier connection point, calling the mission “ill-conceived” and urging an abandonment of the project to avoid endangering US troops.
Notably, the operation has not been free of incident; the USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo, a Navy ship involved in the pier’s construction, suffered an engine room fire last month and had to return to the United States. Despite these challenges, the British navy has offered assistance, with RFA Cardigan Bay sailing to provide accommodation for hundreds of US sailors and soldiers working on the platform.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical, with senior military officials acknowledging potential snags in aid distribution due to security concerns and the possibility of aid convoys being obstructed by crowds of desperate residents.
Aid workers have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the pier, with some humanitarian groups terming it a “performative” operation that will not significantly mitigate the crisis.
Yet, with land crossings facing severe delays and the ongoing conflict, the JLOTS system holds the potential to become a lifeline for the delivery of aid to the beleaguered population of Gaza, should the weather and regional stability allow for its imminent deployment.
Relevant articles:
– US military completes construction on temporary Gaza pier, Stripes, 05/09/2024
– The U.S. military pier off Gaza may soon be operating. Aid workers question its role, NPR, 05/08/2024
– Hamas war, Rafah crossing, bombings, Gaza ceasefire deal, CNN International, 05/08/2024
– US military finishes Gaza pier, plans to move it into place on hold, North Platte Post, 05/08/2024