Republican lawmaker demands the closure of pier in Gaza
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Mike Rogers has called out the pier's inefficiency and costliness while noting the dangers that could be faced by the operation and personnel working it.
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A U.S. Army soldier gestures as trucks loaded with aid arrive at the U.S.-built floating pier before reaching the beach on the coast of the Gaza Strip, Tuesday, June 25, 2024 (AP)
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Republican lawmaker Mike Rogers, has requested that the United States shut down the so-called 'aid pier' built off the coast of the Gaza Strip, calling the operation dangerous, ineffective, and a waste of money.
In a formal letter addressed to the Biden administration and obtained by Reuters, Rogers urged the government "to immediately cease this failed operation before further catastrophe occurs and consider alternative means of land and air-based humanitarian aid delivery.”
Rogers has previously voiced criticism regarding the efficiency of the US aid pier in Gaza and called for its dismantling, but his letter to the Biden administration was his first formal expression of his viewpoint.
He argued that the pier was active for ten days as of June 19 but only moved 3,415 metric tons onto the beach in Gaza. Moreover, as of Tuesday, the pier managed to deliver 8,332 alleged aid pallets, 84% of which have not yet been picked up by the United Nations for distribution.
It is worth noting that the pier requires around 1,000 military personnel to operate and is expected to cost the US at least $230 million during the first 90 days of operations.
Personnel working the pier sustained non-combat injuries while deployed, adding to Rogers' list of concerns.
"I urge the Administration to immediately cease this failed operation before further catastrophe occurs and consider alternative means of land and air-based humanitarian aid delivery," he wrote.
US Gaza pier spent more time being fixed than used
The $230 million floating pier linked to the shore of Gaza, a crucial component of President Joe Biden's strategy to allegedly assist Palestinians during the war on Gaza, has spent more time out of service than operational, Newsweek reported. Since its inception on May 17, the pier has only been active for 12 out of 38 days.
Initially set up by US military personnel on May 17, the pier was meant to significantly ease the delivery of aid to Gaza's starving population. However, high waves dislodged the pier just over a week after its deployment, halting aid deliveries.
In actuality, just a few dollops have landed in Gaza. During the limited period, the dock was operational before the storm, roughly 27 trucks departed per day, with plans for 150, knowing that the Gaza Strip needed at least 600 per day to avoid famine.
The Pentagon reported that the US restarted assistance delivery through the pier on Thursday after removing it for the second time on June 14 due to inclement weather. After breaking apart in severe waves, the pier was dismantled and transported to the Israeli port of Ashdod for reconstruction.
Pallets of food and medication arriving by sea have built up on the beach on many of its active days due to a lack of vehicles needed to transport the supplies to warehouses around the Gaza Strip. Some officials have questioned the project's feasibility in these circumstances.
