WASHINGTON — The U.S. military-led project to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip via a temporary pier and causeway is underway.
The Department of Defense says the Army and Navy have begun construction of an approximately 1,800-foot causeway comprised of modular sections linked together, which is known as a Trident Pier—and, a 72-foot wide by 270-foot-long roll-on, roll-off discharge facility, which will remain about three miles off Gaza's shore and enable cargo ships to offload aid shipments at sea prior to being transported to shore.
The hope is to initially deliver 90 truckloads of international aid into Gaza and eventually deliver up to 150 truckloads once fully operational.
The mission is being conducted by the 7th Transportation Brigade from Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Newport News— along with sailors from Naval Beach Group 1 at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles "C.Q." Brown says a security zone will be established in concert with Israeli forces to ensure the floating structure does not come under attack.
"One of the areas that we've been focused on as we move down the path of bringing our Joint Logistics Over the Shore and build this port on the beaches of Gaza there is not only the security of the port itself, the security of our forces but also the security of the distribution and also the aid workers," he said.
Reuters reports that the U.S. military's cost to build a pier has risen to $320 million—roughly double the initial estimates earlier this year.