WASHINGTON — It will be several days until the temporary humanitarian aid pier in Gaza is up and running again.
The $320 million structure -- part of U.S. Central Command's Joint Logistics, Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) capability -- suffered "significant damage" on May 25 when high sea states and a North African weather system caused a portion of the trident pier to detach.
"I was talking to people that were monitoring that storm and what we saw, it basically changed direction within an hour or two. And that was something, given the high seas that were already happening in the Eastern Mediterranean, that combined force of that other storm just made that pier inoperable and further damaged it," said Sabrina Singh, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary, during a news conference on Thursday.
Earlier this week, U.S. forces removed the causeway from its anchored position on the coast and towed it back to the Israeli coastal city of Ashdod to begin repairs.
Soldiers from the Fort Eustis-based 7th Transportation Brigade were instrumental in the pier's construction.
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The pier supported the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
Prior to the mishap, over 1,000 metric tons of aid were delivered to the pier for humanitarian organizations to distribute to Palestinians.
The hope is to resume the humanitarian aid operation.
Singh said repairs will take "more than a week."