Four American boats ran aground due to “rough seas”. Two ships are moored on the beach near the pontoon in Gaza. The third and fourth ships are stranded on the Israeli coast near Ashkelon.
Four American army boats used for the temporary pier for aid to Gaza ran aground on Saturday morning, May 25, due to a “turbulent sea”said the US Middle East Military Command (Centcom). “The ships have broken away from their moorings and two ships are now moored on the beach near the pontoon. The third and fourth ships are stranded on the Israeli coast near Ashkelon.notes a press release.
Centcom specifies that no soldier was injured and that “the pontoon remains fully functional”. He adds that the Israeli army is helping the Americans refloat the ships and insists: “No American (military) will enter Gaza”.
Amir Cohen / REUTERS
$320 million
The United States completed this pier last week, the construction of which was announced in March by President Joe Biden. This is to alleviate the restrictions imposed by Israel on the land delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip, ravaged by seven months of war triggered by the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7.
On Friday, the UN said the facility enabled the disembarkation of 97 trucks of humanitarian aid in one week. The artificial port, costing at least $320 million, like other alternative initiatives, cannot replace an influx of aid by land, warn the UN and humanitarian organizations.
According to the United Nations, almost all of the Gaza Strip’s 2.4 million residents have been displaced by fighting and bombardment, and are food insecure, with the risk of large-scale famine. .
