In a turn of events, President Joe Biden's initiative to provide a lifeline to the Gaza Strip has faced backlash as the U.S.-built temporary pier on the shores of Gaza needs to be repaired after rough seas and inclement weather caused it to break apart. The Pentagon has announced that the $320 million pier, which had been operational for just two weeks, will be removed from the beach and sent to Ashdod in southern Israel for repairs.

Located southwest of Gaza City, the pier was intended to serve as a crucial access point for food and supplies to reach the Palestinians during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh cited unfortunate weather conditions as the reason for the pier's temporary closure, expressing hope that it would be back in operation in just over a week.

However, the setback has ignited criticism on social media, with many questioning why the U.S. and Israel are not making more efforts to reach Palestinians with humanitarian aid through land routes. Journalist Glenn Greenwald took to social media, calling it a "massive humiliation" for President Biden and suggesting that if Israel is withholding aid, the U.S. should halt weapon shipments in accordance with the Foreign Assistance Act.

Nina Turner, a Senior Fellow at the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy, also questioned the necessity of a pier, pointing out the existence of land crossings that could facilitate aid delivery. This sentiment was echoed by Charles Lister, Director of the Syria and Countering Terrorism & Extremism programs at the Middle East Institute.

The closure of the pier for repairs adds to the series of setbacks faced by the Biden administration in their Gaza aid initiative. Over the past two weeks, three U.S. service members have been injured, and four vessels have been beached due to heavy seas surrounding the pier, named the Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) pier. Deliveries were halted briefly after an incident where a Palestinian man was shot and killed amid a rush for aid trucks.

Despite the challenges, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reported that over 500 metric tons of aid have been offloaded at the pier and distributed to humanitarian partners, with the majority in the process of reaching those in need. However, the United Nations estimates that a quarter of the Gaza population is on the brink of famine, underscoring the urgent need for more effective aid delivery.

The pier initiative was initially announced by President Biden in March, aiming to avert famine in northern Gaza by providing seaborne access for assistance, as calls were made for Israel to ease access for relief supplies through land routes. U.S. officials have acknowledged that the pier alone cannot suffice to address the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The Pentagon disclosed that approximately 1,000 U.S. service members, primarily from the Army and Navy, were involved in the pier project, with the cost ballooning to $320 million, double the original estimate. This development has raised concerns among some, including Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who called it a "dangerous effort with marginal benefit."

As the Biden administration faces scrutiny over the aid pier's closure, the focus shifts to finding alternative ways to ensure essential supplies reach the starving population in Gaza.