The U.S. military has begun construction of a pier and causeway to distribute humanitarian aid into Gaza amid Israel’s war with Hamas. The Department of Defense confirmed that the USS Benavidez has started working on building the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea. The goal is to rush aid to the people of Gaza, with the pier expected to be operational by early May. The modular causeway system will allow for aid to be deposited onto an offshore platform and then transported to shore by the Army.
Since the conflict began in October, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing shortages of food, water, and medicine. Despite efforts by Israel to send aid trucks across the border and the U.S. conducting humanitarian air drops, getting aid to Gaza has been challenging due to ongoing hostilities and difficulties coordinating with the Israeli military. The new pier and causeway system is expected to streamline the delivery of humanitarian aid by creating a more efficient distribution process.
Last month, the Pentagon announced that the pier could potentially deliver over 2 million meals a day using the 1,800-foot structure. The concept involves establishing a temporary offshore maritime pier to allow shipping vessels to transfer cargo to smaller vessels, which would then transport and offload the aid onto a temporary causeway. This will enable the delivery of much-needed aid to Gaza without requiring U.S. military personnel to go ashore, providing a safer and more efficient means of distributing humanitarian assistance.
The Israel Defense Forces have approved collaborative efforts for the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) initiative led by the U.S. Central Command. The initiative aims to create an enhanced ship-to-shore distribution system to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The IDF will operate to provide security and logistics support for the JLOTS initiative, which includes the establishment of a temporary floating pier for aid delivery. This demonstrates the IDF’s commitment to working with the international community to ensure continuous entry of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has created a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with thousands of lives lost and essential supplies scarce. The construction of the pier and causeway by the U.S. military represents a significant effort to improve the delivery of aid to the region. By establishing a more efficient distribution system, the U.S. aims to expedite the process of providing much-needed assistance to the people of Gaza. The involvement of international partners, including Israel, in supporting these efforts underscores the importance of cooperation in addressing humanitarian crises and delivering relief to those in need.
Overall, the construction of the pier and causeway by the U.S. military marks a significant development in the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The initiative aims to overcome the challenges of delivering aid in the midst of conflict by establishing a more efficient and secure distribution system. With the support of international partners, including Israel, the U.S. is working to ensure that aid reaches the civilian population in Gaza in a timely and effective manner. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of international cooperation in addressing humanitarian crises and delivering assistance to those most in need.
