Towed to Israel for repairs: Pentagon's $320 million pier in Gaza trashed by rough sea and storms

WASHINGTON ? The $320 million pier the Pentagon built to ferry desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza was damaged by high seas and must be towed to Israel for repairs.

The Biden administration had touted the pier for weeks as a vital alternative to land routes to ship food and medicine to Palestinians caught in the war between Israel and Hamas. Its operation, however, got off to a rough start with the first trucks laden with aid prevented by mobs from reaching their destination.

High seas in recent days combined with a storm that moved in from west Africa have damaged the pier, Sabrina Singh, deputy Pentagon press secretary, told reporters Tuesday.

Heavy seas thrashed four U.S. Army vessels involved in the aid mission on Saturday, according to Central Command. The ships broke free from their moorings, and two were beached on the coast of Israel.

Since it began operating May 17, the pier had allowed the delivery of 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid, Singh said.

"When it was operational, it was working," Singh said.

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The pier should be repaired and anchored again in Gaza in about a week, she said.

About 1,000 U.S. soldiers and sailors have been involved in constructing and operating a floating platform off the coast of Gaza that receives shipments of aid from Cypress. The aid is loaded on to smaller ships that ferry it to the pier where it is driven by truck to shore.

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Last week, three troops involved in the aid effort were injured in the operation. Two have returned to duty and one remains hospitalized in critical condition, Singh said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pentagon pier for Gaza aid damaged by rough seas and storms