The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the construction of the much-anticipated port and causeway off the coast of Gaza has commenced. This project aims to create a maritime corridor to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press secretary, confirmed that the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea are being constructed by U.S. military vessels, including the USNS Benavidez. He referred to this project as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) system floating pier delivery system.
“We understand the immense interest in this crucial endeavor and will soon share more details as we collaborate with the international community to expedite assistance to the people of Gaza,” he emphasized.
The Pentagon estimates that once it becomes operational, the pier will complement the existing land crossings for aid into Gaza. Additionally, it has the potential to provide up to 2 million meals per day to the people of Gaza.
Satellite images captured by Planet Lab reveal the ongoing construction in the designated area for the causeway’s docking, ensuring smooth entry for trucks carrying aid into Gaza.
Marine traffic websites are currently tracking the USNS Roy Benavidez as it operates off the coast of Gaza. Its main objective is to construct a floating platform that will facilitate the offloading of supplies from civilian cargo ships. Other ships that will assist in the operation are currently on their way to Gaza from Crete, Greece. These vessels had previously docked in Crete after completing a trans-Atlantic voyage to the eastern Mediterranean.
According to a senior U.S. military official who briefed reporters on Thursday, the construction of the JLOTS landing platform began several miles off the shore of Gaza.
According to the official, our plans to commence the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza via sea are progressing well, and we expect to begin in early May. Once operational, the JLOTS pier will have the capacity to accommodate approximately 90 trucks daily, with the potential to scale up to 150 trucks, thereby facilitating a significant amount of humanitarian assistance.
According to the official, the increase in life-saving aid from the sea is a significant boost in throughput.
The humanitarian assistance from aid agencies will be transported to the JLOTS platform and floating causeway after undergoing screening, palletization, and preparation for delivery in Cyprus, which is located 200 miles away from Gaza.
According to a senior U.S. military official, the aid will be unloaded at a floating platform located miles offshore. Afterwards, smaller watercraft will carry five trucks each, which will then be offloaded onto the floating causeway or pier anchored to the shore.
According to the official, the trucks will continuously transport their cargo to a secure area for future distribution. This back and forth process will be repeated regularly on the floating platform.
According to an official, the truck drivers responsible for the transportation will be individuals from an undisclosed country, who are not affiliated with the U.S. military or American contractors. These drivers will have their own security measures in place.
According to the official, the British naval ship Cardigan Bay, located miles offshore, will serve as the living and sleeping quarters for the hundreds of U.S. soldiers and sailors responsible for building and maintaining JLOTS.
The Biden administration has made it clear that while there won’t be any U.S. troops physically present in Israel, other personnel involved in the JLOTS mission will be on the ground supporting the mission.
Without any U.S. troops present to secure the floating platform to the beach in Gaza, a collaboration between a U.S. Army engineering unit and an IDF unit took place to provide training on anchoring it to the beach from the very first day. The senior military official mentioned that this training took place on an Israeli beach located just up the coast.
U.S. military personnel will be collaborating closely with Israeli Defense Forces personnel at a coordination cell situated at Hatzor airbase in Ashdod, Israel. The cell is being overseen by a three-star U.S. general.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has set up another coordination cell in Cyprus. This cell will be responsible for managing the logistics of aid delivery to Gaza via the maritime corridor.
On Thursday, there were concerns about the security for the JLOTS mission, which will be provided by the Israeli military. These concerns arose after a mortar attack occurred in the area near Gaza City, where the pier will be located. U.S. officials have always acknowledged the important role played by the Israeli military in ensuring the safety of the mission.
Ryder emphasized that this happened before any U.S. forces began their operations. Additionally, he clarified that there is no specific U.S. equipment in the marshaling yard where the aid will be distributed after being offloaded through JLOTS.
According to a senior military official, the mortar attack has been evaluated and determined to be unrelated to the JLOTS mission. The official also emphasized that security measures at the affected location will be significantly strengthened once it becomes operational.
“We prioritize force protection above all else,” emphasized the senior U.S. military official. He further elaborated that Israel has dedicated a brigade consisting of thousands of soldiers, along with Israeli Navy ships and aircraft patrolling the skies, to safeguard American forces both at sea and at the onshore landing and distribution centers.”
According to the official, the U.S. military has evaluated the security at the selected location for the floating platform and deems it adequate to facilitate the mission’s execution. However, the final decision rests with the commander of U.S. Central Command.
Read More:
- Understanding the Legal Landscape of Pocket Knives in Rhode Island
- Understanding the Legal Landscape of Pocket Knives in Montana
