A part of the Israeli-American floating pier that was under construction to serve as a way to deliver aid to Gaza drifted miles away to the beaches of Ashdod in Israel Saturday morning.
In the video, rough seas and high winds can be seen as a likely cause of the event.
Gaza sea throws American-Israeli floating boat on the beach of Ashdod! pic.twitter.com/Ydsdv5SkJt
— Motasem A Dalloul (@AbujomaaGaza) May 25, 2024
According to a Times of Israel reporter, a boat sent to rescue the part of the pier also ended up beached alongside it.
An American vessel used to unload humanitarian aid from ships into the Gaza Strip via a floating pier disconnected from a small boat tugging it this morning due to stormy seas, leading it to get stuck on the coast of Ashdod, eyewitnesses say.
Another ship was then sent to try… pic.twitter.com/08XtPr0K8K
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 25, 2024
Since the escalation of military conflict in Gaza in October, residents have faced serious resource challenges, including shortages in basic necessities like food, water, and medical supplies. Many have also been without electricity for months.
Delivering aid to the region has been challenging due to logistical and security concerns. In December, videos of men said to be affiliated with Hamas hijacking and commandeering aid trucks surfaced, highlighting these issues. As Valuetainment previously reported, the construction area came under mortar fire as both Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) threatened to disrupt its development.
Videos are showing Hamas stealing trucks of humanitarian aid that enter Gaza.
Masked and armed men sit on top of the trucks. Hebrew-language media reports the men are from Hamas. pic.twitter.com/6TMsh12efp
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) December 17, 2023
Construction of the floating pier was finished a little over a week ago, according to an AP report. The US military and Israeli authorities have planned to use the pier to distribute aid to Israeli-controlled regions of Gaza. The pier would allow aid to enter Gaza from overseas and be distributed in trucks across north Gaza. The US military spent around $320 million on the humanitarian aid infrastructure, with repairs and modifications likely to increase the cost.
In a ten-year plan recently proposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first year emphasizes humanitarian aid. Netanyahu notes that aid would begin flowing through northern Gaza, eventually reaching the south.
While the infrastructure malfunction will delay aid delivery, authorities are working rapidly to restore function to the pier. As conflict develops in the region, access to aid will be critical to the wellbeing of its inhabitants. Both sides of the political divide seem to agree that access to aid is key to rebuilding Gaza.
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