U.S. Naval Vessels Run Aground Close to Gaza Pier

Several U.S. Military vessels supporting President Joe Biden’s $320 million Gaza pier project ran ashore late last week due to severe maritime conditions. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, saw two vessels running aground in Gaza near the pier, while two others washed up on Israeli beaches near Ashkelon.

The vessels, operating in support of a temporary pier constructed to deliver aid to Gaza, broke free from their moorings amid choppy seas. U.S. Central Command released a statement confirming ongoing efforts to recover the stranded vessels with assistance from the Israeli Navy. "The IDF is supporting the recovery efforts near the pier. No U.S. personnel will enter Gaza. No injuries have been reported and the pier remains fully functional," the statement read.

Details of the incident:

• The vessels that ran ashore in Israel included a tugboat and a landing craft mechanized (LCM).

• Video footage circulated online showed the beached vessels in Israel.

• Efforts to recover and secure the vessels are being conducted with Israeli naval support.

President Biden announced the deployment of the pier in March, aimed at providing aid to Gazans amidst Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Despite the significant investment, the initiative has faced several challenges, including last week's grounding incident and earlier operational setbacks.

Challenges faced by the Gaza pier project:

• Only 820 tons of aid were offloaded in the first week, far below expectations.

• Approximately a third of the aid was hijacked and stolen.

• Three U.S. service members were injured during operations supporting the humanitarian mission.

A U.S. defense official reported that one service member sustained a critical injury aboard the USNS Benavidez on May 23. The service member was transported to a medical facility and remains in critical condition. Two other service members sustained minor injuries during the operation.

The Biden administration continues to navigate these difficulties while maintaining the pier's primary goal of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. The incident underscores the complexities and risks involved in such international aid missions.

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