( Breitbart )
U.S. troops have begun construction of a pier to be used to bring humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, the Pentagon confirmed Thursday.
“I can confirm that U.S. military vessels, to include the USNS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said.
The news came on the same day Palestinian terrorists fired mortars at United Nations officials as they toured the proposed pier site, as Breitbart News reported.
A senior military official speaking to reporters on the condition of anonymity said construction of the pier began Thursday and that they are on track for it to be used to delivery humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea from early next month, UPI reports.
Officials confirmed it being constructed out at sea, away from the war in Gaza.
Once completed, the pier is to initially have a daily operating capacity of about 90 trucks worth of aid, with expectations that it will be scaled up to 150 trucks a day, UPI noted.
President Joe Biden first announced plans for the United States to build the pier in his March State of the Union address, as Breitbart News reported.
This is despite the Israeli government repeatedly pointing out unlimited amounts of aid already enters Gaza; the problem is distribution, especially as Hamas terrorists steal much of the aid.
And the White House itself admitted in a briefing that trucking aid in is a more efficient and effective approach. Despite that, U.S. Navy ships are still making their way to the Eastern Mediterranean laden with equipment for construction.
About 1,000 U.S. troops are participating in the mission.
The senior military official said they expected the mission to be executed for several months, the UPI report concluded.