(FeaturedHeadlines.com) On June 9, 2024, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) announced that it was halting deliveries of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip via a floating pier constructed by the US military. WFP suspended deliveries due to safety concerns just two days after the pier resumed operations, following weather damage to the structure.
WFP director Cindy McCain said that she was concerned about the safety of the program’s workers, noting that two of the program’s warehouses were hit with rocket strikes. WFP will resume work once it ensures that the program can operate safely on the ground, McCain said.
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said that it is working closely with WFP on the resumption of safe and effective aid movement. The humanitarian aid community is undertaking a security review, USAID added.
The Biden administration ordered the construction of the floating aid pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip in order to facilitate the flow of aid into the Palestinian enclave. However, the project has experienced setbacks since construction completed in May, including weather damage that paused operations.
Three US military servicemembers have also been injured during operations on the pier, one of whom was left in critical condition. The structure was also rendered temporarily non-operational after inclement sea conditions broke it.
The pier, known as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore capability, was not designed to withstand the rough waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Conditions on the sea are only expected to get worse during the summer months.
Despite its failures, the US Defense Department spent approximately $90 million less than expected on the project. The Pentagon initially estimated that the project would cost $320 million, but has since lowered the estimate to some $230 million. However, the cost could still fluctuate based on the mission length and future repairs, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
Although the Biden administration intended for the project to help bring aid to civilians in the conflict zone, it appears as though the US military is better at fighting wars than remedying their impacts.
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