In a breaking news update, the US has restarted delivering aid into Gaza using its temporary pier on Thursday, according to US Central Command.
The US dismantled the pier temporarily on June 14 for the second time since the pier was originally anchored on May 17. The pier was dismantled to avoid damages due to the anticipation of heavy seas, CENTCOM said.
Recent reports indicated that the pier was reattached on Wednesday.
The assistance delivered on Thursday included 1.4 million pounds of aid, marking the largest single-day delivery of aid to date, according to CENTCOM.
However, the aid being delivered across the pier is not yet being distributed inside Gaza. The UN World Food Programme, the distribution partner, has paused distribution pending a comprehensive security review following an Israeli military operation that resulted in casualties. There were rumors circulating about the use of the humanitarian pier for the military operation, but these claims have been denied. The perception surrounding its use has heightened risks for humanitarian workers.
The United Nations has outlined a series of risk mitigation steps to the Israeli agency responsible for aid in Gaza, COGAT. These steps must be taken before operations can resume, according to sources familiar with the matter.
In a statement, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq emphasized the importance of a thorough security assessment to ensure the safety of UN staff and partners before operations can resume on the pier.
World Food Programme chief Cindy McCain mentioned that they are awaiting clearance from the UN’s Department of Safety and Security to resume operations on the pier.
To date, over 9.1 million pounds of humanitarian aid have been delivered from the pier to the marshaling area for onward delivery by humanitarian organizations.
The temporary pier, known as the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS), has been a crucial lifeline to getting aid into Gaza amidst challenging conditions.
US officials have been working tirelessly to find innovative ways to provide aid to Gaza residents in need.
The JLOTS system consists of a floating pier for offloading shipments and a causeway to transfer the shipments to the distribution point in Gaza.
The construction of the pier was initiated as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continued to worsen, with food insecurity affecting the entire population.
US officials have indicated that the military is likely to operate the pier for at least three months with the goal of eventually turning it into a full-time commercial operation for broader use.
CNN’s Richard Roth and Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report, providing valuable insights into the ongoing aid delivery efforts in Gaza.
