Officials: US Navy to begin operations on Gaza coast as early as this weekend – BNN

A U.S. military-built pier off the Gaza coast will be operational as early as this weekend, barring weather or logistical problems, and is expected soon after, according to a U.S. official and a European official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss dates before they are announced. for this, help will start flowing into the enclave, “Politico” reports on Wednesday, May 1.

Officials are expected to make a decision on Friday to launch the project, which,

will probably allow the Palestinians to receive aid as early as next week.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that the pier was more than 50 percent complete, but did not give a specific date for operations, saying it would be ready to deliver aid to Gaza in May.

But the creation of the new aid route puts the US more directly involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict, with US forces helping to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip, despite UN aid agencies unloading, organizing and distributing the shipments without US troops ashore.

Although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) provides security for the project, it is risky because US personnel may face attacks from militant groups or suffer accidental damage from Israeli airstrikes.

Just last week, Gaza-based militants fired mortar shells at a coastal triage area where UN staff plan to organize and distribute aid.

However, on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated that the US will not deploy troops to Gaza.

Initially, the Department of Defense has planned to deliver approximately 90 trucks per day, but at full capacity, up to 150 trucks per day. Aid deliveries from the sea will complement the current average of 220 trucks per day, increasing life-saving aid.

About 1,000 US soldiers and sailors are involved in the construction of the temporary pier.

The humanitarian aid will first arrive in Cyprus by air or sea, where it will be checked and organized, then the pallets will be loaded onto commercial ships with help, which will go to a floating dock several hundred meters long, anchored in the sand off the coast of Gaza.

From there, the aid will be loaded onto trucks onto smaller US Army ships, which will transport the aid from the pier to shore. Trucks from the small ships will then go ashore to deliver aid.

The IDF will provide security for the operation with the help of a brigade of 1,000 soldiers, as well as Israeli Navy ships and Israeli Air Force assets, the official said.

Also read: US to build temporary port for aid supplies in Gaza

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