US still monitoring weather conditions to re-anchor Gaza pier: Pentagon

WASHINGTON (AA) – The temporary pier built by the US military to bring humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip has not been re-anchored yet, the Pentagon has said.

“The pier is still in (Israel’s Port of) Ashdod, (and) has not been re-anchored. We’re continuing to monitor weather conditions right now,” Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters, without giving a re-anchoring date.

“But as of right now, again, due to weather conditions, it remains in Ashdod,” he added.

Last Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) once again removed the pier from its anchored position off the coast of Gaza and towed it back to Ashdod, Israel.

Since the pier became operational on May 17, more than 8,831 metric tons or approximately 19.4 million pounds of humanitarian aid was delivered through the maritime corridor for distribution to the people in Gaza by humanitarian organizations.

Ryder confirmed that the World Food Program (WFP) has begun to take some of the aid out of the marshaling area to warehouses and distribution centers.

“We’ve established a coordination cell that is comprised of humanitarian organizations, IDF, US forces that are managing the peer and again, as I understand it, World Food Program is also discussing security with the IDF, but ultimately this is a question for humanitarian organizations to determine, of what level of security support do they require and need, recognizing that they are not combatants on the battlefield in the middle of a combat zone attempting to deliver humanitarian assistance,” he said.

Last month, the WFP paused aid distribution following an ongoing security review caused by a deadly Israeli rescue operation near the pier.

The $230 million pier, meant to boost deliveries of desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Gaza, has paused operations several times.

President Joe Biden ordered the establishment of the sea route to deliver food and aid to Palestinians on March 8 amid Israeli restrictions.