The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that United States forces, with help from Israeli engineers, re-anchored and reestablished the humanitarian pier off Gaza on Wednesday, nearly five days after it was detached ahead of potentially dangerous sea state weather conditions.
Overnight, the transfer of humanitarian assistance from Cyprus to Gaza resumed with more than 656 metric tons or 1.4 million pounds being delivered to the marshaling yard in Gaza, Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters Thursday.
The Pentagon, however, could not say if any aid delivered through the pier had made it past the marshaling yard on shore, and Ryder directed questions on aid distribution to USAID and the World Food Programme.
No resumption yet
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Thursday that the security assessment is still being conducted by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security and the WFP will only resume operations once that assessment concludes.
“At this point, there’s no update from the security side to give to you,” Haq said, without any indication of when the assessment will be finished.
The Pentagon is attempting to dispel reporting of an earlier-than-anticipated closure of the pier, as Ryder said no end date for the mission has been set.
The Pentagon will also continue to conduct air drops, according to Ryder, with the latest drop conducted on June 9.
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