During the House Armed Services Committee Hearings, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin revealed that of the 1,000 US troops that will be sent to Gaza to operate the temporary pier system, all will have the "ability to protect themselves if challenged."

The port, which is expected to be operating in a matter of days, has been criticized as a "smokescreen" to facilitate the potential Israeli invasion of the southern city of Rafah, The Independent reported last week, citing UN officials.

The pier reportedly aims to boost aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip by bypassing the Israeli-occupied land routes. However, UN officials caution that the dock will not be positioned near northern Gaza, where the famine risk is most acute, but rather at a location monitored by an Israeli occupation military checkpoint, according to The Independent.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly stated that the US does not plan on sending "boots on the ground;" something Austin's revelation directly contradicts.

Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, assured in March that not a single troop would set foot on Gaza's shore, not even for a moment to secure the not-so-essential dock to the beach, claiming that the operations would take place offshore.

The port system is expected to facilitate the "daily delivery of approximately 2 million meals to Gazans," claimed Ryder.

Florida Congressman Rep. Matt Gaetz questioned Austin during the hearing about how many US troops would be carrying weapons, to which the secretary responded, "All", and emphasized that all US troops sent to operate the pier would have the "right to return fire" if they were shot at from Gaza.

BREAKING: Secretary Lloyd Austin ADMITS likelihood of shooting warfare between U.S. service members and Gaza forces soon 👇

GAETZ: “This is a very telling moment, Mr. Secretary, because you've said something that's quite possible that could happen. Shots from Gaza on our service… pic.twitter.com/HmS1bfqeWB

— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 30, 2024

Gaetz called it a "very telling moment" when Austin expressed he believed it is "possible" US troops could be targeted. 

The Republican challenged Austin on what defines "boots on the ground," reminding him that the President has previously vowed not to have US troops active in Gaza.

"Don't you think that counts as boots on the ground? President Biden told the country that we weren't going to have boots on the ground in Gaza."

Austin maintained that this does not constitute troops "on the ground" after which Gaetz chuckled and expressed that the American people certainly "have a different perspective on that," urging that if this was a possibility, there should be a vote on such a critical matter.

It's noteworthy that the US has been the main ally of "Israel" in its ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza. The country, which has sent billions of dollars in weapons to "Israel" since the beginning of its genocidal war against Gaza, surely possesses the ability to exert pressure on the entity, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid.