Three US troops injured in Gaza aid pier operation

One person was taken to an Israeli hospital

Palestinians gather in the hope of obtaining aid delivered into Gaza through a US-built pier. Reuters

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Three US troops suffered non-combat injuries during operations to deliver aid through a temporary pier into the Gaza Strip, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, US Central Command’s deputy commander, told reporters that the injuries occurred at sea and stressed there were no American boots on the ground in Gaza.

Two of the injuries were minor – a sprained ankle and a back injury – while a third person was taken to an Israeli hospital.

Daniel Dieckhaus, director for USAID’s Levant Response Management Team, told reporters that the US military has delivered 820 tonnes of aid to Gaza through the temporary pier since it started operations on Friday.

“That is sufficient food to feed tens of thousands of people for a month,” Mr Dieckhaus said.

President Joe Biden in March ordered the construction of the pier to help get aid into Gaza, as Israel has closed land crossings or delayed deliveries.

Mr Dieckhaus called on Israel to reopen the Rafah border crossing.

“We want to see full utilisation of all the border crossings that are there, as well as the improved ability of humanitarians to get out and about throughout Gaza,” he said.

The UN is co-ordinating aid distribution at the floating dock, but has remained adamant that aid deliveries by land are the “most viable, effective and efficient” way to combat the humanitarian crisis in the enclave of 2.3 million people.