Statements from Hamas or international monitoring organizations

U.S. CENTCOM Completes $320m Floating Pier to Deliver UK Aid to Gaza Amid Crisis

May 16, 2024, 07:06 PM

The U.S. military has completed the installation of a temporary floating pier off the coast of Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. The pier, which was anchored on May 16, 2024, by CENTCOM, is expected to significantly boost aid deliveries to the besieged enclave, where hundreds of thousands face an acute humanitarian crisis. The first shipment of nearly 100 tonnes of UK aid, including 8,400 shelter kits, has already left Cyprus and arrived at the pier. This new maritime corridor, created in collaboration with Cyprus and other partners, aims to circumvent the challenges posed by land border restrictions and ongoing conflict. Despite the successful installation, concerns remain about the distribution of aid within Gaza, as Egypt continues to block aid at the Kerem Shalom crossing, and Hamas has been targeting the crossing with mortar fire. The United Nations will coordinate the distribution of the aid delivered via the pier. The project, announced by President Joe Biden, cost $320 million.