Aid resumes via 'temporary' US pier right after Nuseirat massacre
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CENTCOM claims that "including its equipment, personnel, and assets", the pier played no role in "Israel's" operation earlier to retrieve four captives in Gaza.
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In this photo provided by US Central Command, humanitarian aid arrives in Gaza, on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (US Central Command via AP)
Aid deliveries to Gaza are being resumed from the temporary pier, according to the US military on Saturday, following storm damage and repairs in a nearby port.
CENTCOM said on social media platform X: "Today at approximately 10:30 am (Gaza time) US Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza."
"No US military personnel went ashore in Gaza," it added.
Humanitarian Aid Flow Resumes in Gaza
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 8, 2024
Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Gaza time) U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian… pic.twitter.com/NBOzeoAEzL
CENTCOM also claimed that "including its equipment, personnel, and assets," the pier played no role in "Israel's" operation earlier to retrieve four captives in Gaza amid reports that it was actually used to facilitate the entry of forces through the seaside.
It did admit though that "an area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel," adding that "any such claim to the contrary is false. The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed lifesaving assistance into Gaza."
The Nuseirat massacre
Meanwhile, Israeli and US sources have told The New York Times that the US provided intelligence on the Israeli captives retrieved from Gaza on Saturday.
Israeli occupation forces earlier announced they retrieved four live captives from the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
Reportedly, Resistance fighters guarding the captives had confronted an Israeli force invading the camp, which led to the death of an occupation officer from the Yamam unit.
The Israeli occupation forces launched on Saturday numerous airstrikes on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, which led to the death of at least 210 Palestinians and injury of 400.
A team of American experts stationed in Israeli-occupied lands supported the Israeli military in retrieving the four captives by giving information and other logistical support, according to one American official, who spoke anonymously to discuss the delicate operation.
A senior Israeli official told the NYT that the US and UK have been in "Israel" throughout the war on Gaza, assisting Israeli intelligence in gathering and analyzing information about the captives, some of whom are citizens of both countries.
Two Israeli official sources cited that US military officers gave the occupation information regarding the captives retrieved Saturday.
Back in April, The Independent cited UN officials as saying that the US'scheme to construct a large pier off the Gaza coast for humanitarian aid delivery has been criticized as a "smokescreen" to facilitate the potential Israeli invasion of the southern city of Rafah.
US officials claimed the process will not involve "boots on the ground" in Gaza, but American troops will come close to the besieged territory as they construct the pier.
The pier constructed by the American military was only operational for about a week before it was blown apart in high winds and heavy seas on May 25. The damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday after undergoing repairs at an Israeli port.
UN agencies and humanitarian aid groups have warned sea or air deliveries cannot replace far more efficient truck convoys into Gaza, where the United Nations has repeatedly warned of looming famine.
Israeli restrictions on land crossings, and fighting, have greatly limited the flow of food and other vital supplies into the territory.
