The U.S. military has failed to re-dock its humanitarian ship in Gaza, the Pentagon said Thursday, and will « immediately cease operations » in a program that has been beset by challenges since President Biden announced it four months ago.
« The pier will soon cease operations, and more details on that process and timing will be available in the coming days, » he said.
Ryder's statement did not make it clear whether US forces would try to recapture the ship back to the shores of Gaza. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity for an operation, said commanders considered trying again on Thursday but decided not to because of sea state concerns.
US officials moved the building to Ashdod late last month, citing concerns that rough waves, which had previously caused extensive damage to the structure, could once again affect it.
Defense officials have repeatedly said the ship's deployment is temporary and depends on calm seas to enable aid deliveries, while noting that optimal seasonal conditions are likely to end soon. The floating system is connected to land by a steel causeway and is limited to operating in waves no higher than three feet, according to past estimates in US military journals.
The operation has sent nearly 20 million pounds of food ashore since it began on May 17. That's part of what humanitarian groups say, as Palestinians caught in the conflict between Israel and Hamas face starvation and Israeli officials resist U.S. and international demands. More aid to Gaza through land routes.
And as the war's shocking civilian casualties continue to rise, aid groups' fears for the safety of their workers have challenged supplies from ships. Until recently, the arrivals were piled up in the beachside arena. A U.S. defense official familiar with the issue, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the latest developments, said a significant amount of that aid has been shifted elsewhere, making room for new supplies if the ship gets up and running again.
The US Agency for International Development, which works in coordination with humanitarian groups working in Gaza, will continue to use all means within the border to get food and medicine to Palestinian citizens, an official there said. Those groups have begun using the port of Ashdod, north of Gaza, for additional aid deliveries, the official said.
The on-again, off-again maritime mission has been a source of controversy in polarized Washington, with administration officials defending the initiative despite several setbacks and other Democrats underscoring President Biden's failure to force Israeli leaders to prioritize civilian security. and well-being.
Many Republicans have repeatedly called for the ship's permanent removal, citing safety concerns for the roughly 1,000 U.S. troops on the mission.
The plan was announced by Biden in March, with administration officials predicting that up to 2 million meals a day would be distributed to starving Palestinians. Officials predict deliveries will begin in early May, but a recurring theme is strong tides Changed the plan, pushing back the initial anchoring of the pier until mid-month.
On May 25, just days after the initial shipments began flowing, rough seas and strong winds tossed four military ships off the coast of Gaza, breaking the vessel into pieces, prompting the suspension of operations. Pentagon officials estimated at least $22 million in damage to the ship.
American troops reassembled it at Ashdod and towed it back into place on June 8. It was removed after six days. — Again due to weather concerns. Before its most recent decommissioning in late June, the ship facilitated steady supplies for about a week, bringing 10 million pounds of aid ashore, the Pentagon said.
