The US military considers dismantling a pier along Gaza's coast for a second time because of severe oceanic conditions.
The pier and causeway system, known as Joint Logistics over the Shore or JLOTS, has been relocated back to the Israeli port of Ashdod for the second time within a few weeks. A formal decision regarding its future position is anticipated by Friday, according to officials.
Recently, this fragile pier and causeway system experienced significant damage in heavy seas, causing it to be towed to Ashdod for extensive repairs which took longer than a week. The pier was transported back to Gaza last week and recommenced operations on Saturday, but temporarily halted operations once more due to severe seas on Monday and Tuesday.
To date, this pier has enabled the transportation of countless tons of aid into Gaza, as per authorities. However, its capability to operate smoothly depends heavily on favorable sea conditions, as CNN reported earlier. On Thursday, officials informed CNN that the seawater prognostications predict rough waters extending through the weekend.
The pier's sustenance is also in question considering the deteriorating sea conditions in the eastern Mediterranean as fall and winter draw near.
The World Food Programme's operations, which involve distributing aid at the pier, have been postponed for several days. Piles of aid accumulated in the staging area on the Gaza beach, as declared by officials this week.
WFP Director Cindy McCain stated on Sunday that the agency had discontinued its work at the pier following the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) rescue mission that recovered four captives captured by Hamas, leaving numerous Palestinian civilians killed, prompting false reports that the pier was part of the operation. The Pentagon asserted that there was some military activity "nearby" the pier where aid is staged, but refuted claims that the pier was utilized in the operation.
"At this moment, we're paused because I'm worried about the safety of our people following yesterday's events," she told CBS on Sunday.
The operations will remain suspended until a risk assessment is completed. A source acquainted with the matter disclosed that the UN was conducting a more extensive risk assessment in Gaza and, after the IDF activity near the pier on Saturday, they added a specific risk assessment for the pier operations. Once assessment is finalized, decisions regarding resuming operations at the pier will be made by the Department of Safety and Security and the humanitarian coordinator.
Humanitarian officials assert that obtaining aid into Gaza through the pier is beneficial, but not a long-term solution. The Israeli government had refused to open additional land crossings for aid transportation into Gaza for months; however, they were prompted to allow for these crossings due to intense pressure from the U.S. government. Even with the additional openings, formidable challenges to aid distribution within Gaza persist, and humanitarian officials revealed to CNN that there is still no efficient method of safeguarding aid workers.
"A very costly distraction," said a humanitarian aid official when discussing the pier.
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The pier, which undergoes frequent relocation due to severe oceanic conditions, is currently being evaluated for a potential second permanent location in Ashdod. The World Food Programme's operations at the pier have been postponed due to forecasted rough seas and a comprehensive risk assessment underway.
