Humanitarian aid to Gaza resumes after pier reattached

The transfer of humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Gaza has resumed after US Central Command personnel successfully reattached the command's temporary pier to the Gazan coastline Wednesday, the Pentagon announced on Thursday.

Centcom removed the pier on June 14th and towed it to Ashdod, Israel, to avoid potential damage from volatile sea states.

"I can confirm that personnel re-anchored and re-established the temporary pier to the Gaza beach yesterday," Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told a Press Briefing.

The reopening of the pier allowed for the overnight transfer of more than 656 metric tons or 1.4 million pounds of aid to be delivered to the marshaling yard in Gaza, Ryder said.

"As has been the case in the past, Israeli Defense Force engineers provided all the necessary support to ensure the safe emplacement of the pier on the beach, and there were no U.S. boots on the ground during the re-establishment of the pier," he added.

Despite having experienced some weather-caused damage and temporary shutdowns, the pier has delivered a substantial amount of aid to Gaza since last month, Ryder said.

"Since May 17, when the temporary pier first went operational, over 4,100 metric tons or 9.1 million pounds — have been delivered through the maritime corridor for onward delivery by humanitarian organizations," Ryder said.

During the Briefing, P. Ryder also dismissed reports in the media that the Defense Department had established an end date for the overall pier mission.

"While it's always been our intention for the pier to be a temporary solution as part of the broader international effort to surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza to meet the urgent needs of the Palestinian people, we have not established an end date for this mission as of now," he noted.

Therefore, he added, "we'll continue to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid via the maritime corridor. And, as always, take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the personnel operating the pier; to include adjusting to sea states in the eastern Mediterranean Sea — the same way we do with aircraft operations in the event of inclement weather or conditions."