The United States has resumed aid deliveries to Gaza from a temporary pier, the country’s military said Saturday, after the structure suffered storm damage and underwent repairs in a nearby port.
“Today at approximately 10:30 am (Gaza time) US Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian assistance was delivered to the people of Gaza,” CENTCOM said on social media platform X.
“No US military personnel went ashore in Gaza,” the military command responsible for the Middle East added.
CENTCOM also said Saturday that the pier — “including its equipment, personnel, and assets” — had no role in Israel’s operation earlier in the day to rescue four hostages held in Gaza.
“An area south of the facility was used by the Israelis to safely return the hostages to Israel,” CENTCOM said.
“Any such claim to the contrary is false. The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed lifesaving assistance into Gaza.”
More than two million pounds of humanitarian aid were delivered via the pier last month, but it was damaged by high seas around a week after deliveries began.
The pier was repaired in the Israeli port of Ashdod before being brought back to the Gaza coast and reestablished on Friday.
Israel has been accused of delaying the entry of aid into Gaza, depriving the territory’s 2.4 million people of clean water, food, medicines and fuel.
Humanitarian Aid Flow Resumes in Gaza
Today at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Gaza time) U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) began delivery of humanitarian assistance ashore in Gaza. Today, a total of approximately 492 metric tons (~1.1 million pounds) of much needed humanitarian… pic.twitter.com/NBOzeoAEzL
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) June 8, 2024
