US Central Command announced that 4 US Navy ships that were on a humanitarian support mission in the Gaza Strip were damaged on Saturday morning, as a result of strong waves that also swept away part of the floating dock designated for transporting aid to the Strip.
The Central Command added in a statement that the strong waves caused the four ships to separate from their moorings on the floating dock, which recently began operating.
The statement added that two of the damaged ships are now anchored on the beach near the pier near the Gaza beach, while the other two are standing on the beach near Ashkelon, indicating that efforts are underway to recover them with the help of the Israeli Navy.
The US Central Command confirmed that there were no casualties, and said that the aid dock was still fully operational.
The statement repeated previous American statements that no American military personnel would enter Gaza.
Strong waves sweep part of the American floating pier in Gaza to the shores of the Israeli city of Ashdod#video #Gaza_War pic.twitter.com/TnjgHANgtd
– Tel Aviv Tribune Palestine (@AJA_Palestine) May 25, 2024
Floating dock
The Israeli Channel 12 reported earlier today that the sea waves washed away part of the American floating pier off the coast of Gaza to the shores of the city of Ashdod.
She said that the Israeli Navy is trying to save the part of the pier that separated due to the crashing waves, and connect it to the rest of the pier.
The Israeli channel published a video clip showing a group of American soldiers and others from the Israeli Navy trying to connect the separated part of the pier to an American boat to return it to the shores of Gaza.
Pictures published by Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper showed part of the pier after it washed ashore in the port of Ashdod. It is a flat boat, intended for transporting, loading and unloading goods from ships, confirming that there were no casualties as a result of the accident.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, said yesterday, Friday, that the establishment of the temporary American pier on the coast of Gaza allowed the arrival of 97 aid trucks within a week, adding that the process witnessed stability after beginnings that he described as difficult.
Last week, the US Army completed the construction of this pier, about 3 months after US President Joe Biden announced its establishment.
Washington says that the aim of establishing the temporary floating dock is to bring quantities of aid into the Gaza Strip via the sea due to Israel’s closure of land crossings.