Maxar Technologies Satellite Image Shows Damage to Temporary Pier in Gaza

The temporary pier constructed by the US military to transport aid into Gaza suffered significant damage in heavy seas on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to the American-led effort to create a maritime corridor for humanitarian supplies into the war-torn enclave. The Pentagon confirmed that the pier, which cost $320 million, will need to be removed from its location on the Gaza coast for repairs in the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The pier, known as the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS), had only begun operating on May 17 before heavy seas forced a halt to maritime shipments on May 24. The system requires very good sea conditions to operate safely, with a maximum of 3-foot waves and winds less than approximately 15 miles per hour. The delay in deployment was due to unfavorable sea conditions, as the pier sat docked in Ashdod.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, reported that 820 metric tons of aid had been delivered through the pier to the Gaza beach, where the United Nations distributed it to the Palestinian population. However, with the temporary pier now inoperable, thousands of tons of aid waiting in Cyprus are on hold.

The US has emphasized that the temporary pier is meant to supplement humanitarian shipments going through land crossings between Israel and Gaza. The repairs to the damaged pier are expected to take more than a week, further delaying the effort to establish a fully operational maritime corridor for aid delivery.