The Associated Press reports that the floating pier built by the US military to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza could be operational in the coming days.
The American plan envisions aid ships travelling from Cyprus to a platform to be constructed off the coast of Gaza, where the cargo will be unloaded onto trucks.
Smaller vehicles from the US military will then transport the trucks with aid onto a pier to be constructed on land.
From there, third-party contractors will drive the trucks to the beach and deliver the aid to humanitarian organizations.
The construction of the offshore floating platform was completed earlier this month.
Sabrina Singh, deputy spokesperson for the Pentagon, stated that the pier and bridge – assembled at the Israeli port of Ashdod – are “simply waiting to be anchored off the coast of Gaza.”
An anonymous US official told AP that the US military expects to complete the anchoring of the bridge on Gaza’s beach by Wednesday or Thursday.
The process for transporting aid to Gaza via the floating platform “Drop in the ocean” aid by sea
The operation of the platform was also confirmed shortly by Lieutenant General Patrick S. Ryder. “In the coming days, I think you can expect to see it operational,” he responded to reporters, also a spokesperson for the Pentagon.
Ryder added that there are US Navy destroyers in the area that could provide security assistance to the operation.
However, the effort has been criticized by aid groups who say it will be ineffective and that instead, the US should pressure Israel to allow unhindered transportation of supplies to Gaza – where famine prevails – through land crossings.
But even UN officials have stated that the pier cannot replace the land routes to Gaza controlled by Israel, while obstructing land deliveries of aid.
