Journalists from The Washington Post reported that the U.S. military has decided to cease its humanitarian pier mission to Gaza, according to a Pentagon announcement on Thursday. The mission faced continuous setbacks from the moment President Biden announced it four months ago. Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, stated that U.S. troops attempted to reconnect the floating structure to Gaza’s shoreline on Wednesday but failed due to “technical and weather-related issues.” The pier and its support vessels have been taken back to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where they will remain until further notice.
Ryder’s statement did not clarify whether U.S. forces would make another attempt to resume operations. Some officials remain uncertain, with one senior U.S. defense official, who spoke anonymously, noting that commanders considered trying again on Thursday but decided against it due to concerns about sea conditions. Ryder confirmed that the pier would soon cease operations, with further details to be provided in the coming days.
The mission, costing $230 million, has been controversial in Washington. Administration officials have defended the effort despite its shortcomings, while some Democrats criticize it as a failure to address the Palestinian hunger crisis resulting from the conflict with Hamas. Since its inception on May 17, the operation has delivered about 20 million pounds of food, a fraction of what humanitarian groups deem necessary, as Israeli officials have resisted allowing more aid into Gaza by land.
Republicans have argued that the mission, announced by Biden in his State of the Union address in early March, risks the safety of the approximately 1,000 U.S. troops involved. However, these fears have not materialized. On Thursday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the mission had positively impacted the humanitarian situation in Gaza, emphasizing that any delivery of food and goods is a success. Sullivan noted that the current focus is on getting aid across Gaza.
Aid distribution from the pier has been hampered by concerns for workers' safety due to ongoing conflict. Until recently, supplies accumulated at a staging area along the beach. A U.S. defense official indicated that significant amounts of aid have been relocated, leaving space for new deliveries if operations resume. U.S. personnel had moved the structure to Ashdod late last month due to worries about rough waves causing further damage.
Defense officials have emphasized that the pier’s deployment is temporary and depends on calm seas for effective aid delivery. The floating structure, connected to land by a steel causeway, can only operate in waves up to three feet high. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will continue using all available routes to deliver food and medicine to Palestinians, with additional aid deliveries now using the port at Ashdod.
When the project was announced, it aimed to deliver up to 2 million meals per day to Gaza. President Biden stressed the moral necessity of the mission, balancing the need to avoid putting U.S. troops at risk while addressing the humanitarian crisis. Initially forecasted to begin in early May, strong waves delayed the mission’s start. On May 25, heavy seas and high winds damaged the pier, suspending the mission and causing an estimated $22 million in damage.
The pier was reassembled and towed back into place on June 8, only to be removed six days later due to weather concerns. Before its most recent removal at the end of June, the pier had facilitated steady deliveries for about a week, with 10 million pounds of aid delivered. The Pentagon's decision to end the mission reflects the operational challenges and continuous setbacks encountered.