US military begins constructing Gaza port to assist humanitarian aid flow, aims to be operational by early May

The construction of a temporary naval pier off the coast of Gaza, first announced by U.S. President Joe Biden in March, has already begun, according to a statement from the Pentagon on Thursday. The temporary floating dock is intended to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza from the Mediterranean Sea.

“I can confirm that US military vessels, to include the USNS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea,” Pentagon Spokesman Maj.-Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Thursday. 

While the pier is designed to improve the flow of humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza Strip, White House officials estimate that the dock will initially handle the entry of roughly 90 trucks a day. That number is expected to increase to 150 trucks per day once fully operational. 

For several weeks, international groups, including the United Nations, have warned of a famine risk in northern Gaza.

On Thursday, the UN reported that its team had to take cover during a visit to the pier construction site and an adjacent staging area after the location was hit by mortar fire on Wednesday.

The team was touring the site with IDF soldiers, who rushed the UN officials to a safety shelter after the attack began. No injuries were reported and the team was able to complete its tour later, however, the attack highlights the dangers of construction in a war zone. 

The Israeli military blamed terrorist organizations for hindering humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip. 

“The terrorist organizations continue to systematically harm humanitarian efforts while risking the lives of UN workers, while Israel allows the supply of aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said in a statement. 

According to an i24 News report, several pieces of U.S. engineering equipment were damaged in the attack, however, there were no U.S. troops involved in the incident. 

While Hamas did not claim responsibility for the mortar attack, a Hamas official told the Associated Press on Wednesday that it will resist any foreign military presence involved with the project.

The IDF said that it would provide security and logistics support for the pier, both during construction and once it is operational. 

“The IDF will operate to provide security and logistics support for the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) initiative, which includes the establishment of a temporary floating pier to deliver humanitarian aid from the sea into Gaza,” according to the statement. 

The Israeli military said the JLOTS initiative demonstrates “the IDF’s commitment to working with the international community to ensure the continuous entry of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.” 

A senior Biden administration official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity, said that humanitarian aid unloaded at the pier will still need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land, despite undergoing inspection in Cyprus, due to Israeli concerns about aid reaching Hamas operatives. 

The UN has complained about delays in humanitarian aid entering Gaza, while Israel has accused the UN of failing to distribute aid quickly once it passes the inspection process.