US to completely dismantle temporary port in Gaza

The floating port established by the U.S. administration with the promise of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, which was recently dismantled due to “adverse weather conditions,” is set to be completely removed.

In a press briefing, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced that the floating port, initially intended to facilitate aid delivery to Gaza, will be completely removed as it is no longer deemed necessary.

Sullivan indicated that the final decision would be announced by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), stating, “However, I expect that we will completely cease dock operations in the near future.”

Explaining the change in strategy, Sullivan said, “The issue in Gaza is no longer about getting aid in, but ensuring the safe distribution of aid to the people. Our current focus is not on bringing aid into Gaza from outside, but on distributing it within. This consideration influenced our decision regarding the dock’s remaining operation period.”

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder also commented, noting that the latest effort to re-anchor the dock failed due to “technical and weather-related issues.” He stated that the dock, support vessels, and other equipment would return to the port of Ashdod in Israel and remain there “until further notice.”

Disappointment for Gazans

President Joe Biden had announced on March 7 during his last State of the Union address that a temporary port would be sent to the region to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

The Biden administration aimed to bypass the restrictions imposed by the Israeli government that slowed the entry of humanitarian aid via land borders into Gaza. Consequently, the Pentagon deployed the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) floating dock system to the shores of Gaza.

After a transit period of more than two months, the floating dock became operational in mid-May. However, a storm on May 25 caused significant damage to the port, which was subsequently repaired in Israel and redeployed to the coast of Gaza.

As the area on the Gaza coast where U.S. humanitarian aid was being unloaded reached capacity, there has been no information provided on how much of the seaborne aid actually reached Gazans. This lack of transparency has led to disappointment among Gazans, turning the floating port project into a subject of debate regarding its effectiveness.