President Joe Biden took action to construct a temporary pier to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza earlier this year, as revealed in a report by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) inspector general. The effort aimed to expedite aid to the Palestinian territory affected by conflict between Israel and Hamas. Despite concerns raised by some USAID staffers regarding the feasibility of the project and its potential impact on persuading Israel to open more efficient land crossings, the temporary pier plan moved forward.
Announced during Biden’s State of the Union address in March, the military-operated project, known as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system (JLOTS), had a budget of $230 million but was only operational for approximately 20 days. Aid organizations withdrew from the initiative by July due to various challenges, including weather disruptions and security issues, which limited the amount of essential supplies reaching Palestinians in need.
The report highlighted that several USAID staff members worried that focusing on JLOTS could divert attention from advocating for the utilization of land crossings, deemed more effective for aid transport into Gaza. Despite these concerns, once Biden issued the directive, the Agency concentrated on maximizing the use of JLOTS for aid delivery.
The initiative aimed to provide food for 1.5 million Gaza residents for 90 days but fell short, managing to feed around 450,000 people for a month before shutting down. The pier faced damages from high waves and adverse weather conditions, leading to the discontinuation of cooperation by the U.N. World Food Program following an incident involving an Israeli rescue operation nearby, which raised doubts about the neutrality of the project in the conflict.
According to a U.S. National Security Council spokesperson, the pier project had a significant impact in providing food to Palestinian civilians in need despite the challenges encountered. The U.S. faced criticism in the watchdog report for not meeting commitments made with the World Food Program, such as the location of the pier in north Gaza to address urgent aid requirements and ensuring security provided by a U.N. member nation to maintain neutrality.
Instead of placing the pier in northern Gaza as agreed, the Pentagon located it in central Gaza for enhanced security measures, later relying on Israel’s military for security after failing to secure a neutral country. Despite the project’s shortcomings, the U.S. asserted its commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the importance of its efforts to deliver aid.
