In a statement issued by the Pentagon on Tuesday, it was revealed that none of the aid unloaded from the temporary pier constructed by the US off the coast of Gaza has been delivered to the broader Palestinian population. The United States, in collaboration with the United Nations and Israel, is currently working to identify safe delivery routes within the enclave, causing a delay in getting the much-needed assistance to the people of Gaza.

Over the weekend, several desperate Gazans intercepted trucks delivering aid from the temporary pier, leading to the suspension of delivery operations by the United Nations until the logistical challenges can be resolved. Major General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, confirmed that no aid had been delivered to the people of Gaza as of Tuesday. However, he mentioned that the aid had been held in an assembly area on shore and is now being moved to warehouses for distribution throughout Gaza as alternative routes are being established.

The Defense Department and the United Nations are still assessing the capacity of the staging area inside Gaza to determine how much aid can be held at any given time. The amount of aid reaching the Gaza shoreline from its initial staging point in Cyprus has also fallen short of the initial estimates provided by the Pentagon.

Since last week, a total of 569 metric tons of humanitarian assistance have been transported to Gaza through the temporary pier, known as JLOTS (Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore), to be distributed by humanitarian partners. However, previous expectations of transporting 500 tons of aid per day through the pier have not been met. Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command, had expressed hopes of scaling up the aid delivery operations over time.

The interception of aid by some individuals in Gaza has raised concerns regarding the trustworthiness of the assistance. Mounir Ayad, a Gaza resident, expressed doubts about the intentions behind the floating pier, as he believed that the US had never supported the Palestinian cause and questioned whether the aid came with ulterior motives.

Major General Ryder acknowledged that some of the initial aid delivered to Gaza was intercepted by individuals. However, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that the aid reaches those who need it the most and assured that the focus remains on facilitating the delivery to the Palestinian people.

The Pentagon had previously stated in April that the goal was to deliver approximately 500 tons of aid per day, with the intent of gradually increasing it to 150 trucks daily for the starving population of Gaza.

The US is facing various challenges with the temporary pier, including planning around Israeli operations in Rafah, potential security concerns, logistics, and adverse sea and weather conditions that could limit its utilization.

In addition to the aid deliveries through the pier, the US has conducted multiple air drops of humanitarian assistance in partnership with the Royal Jordanian Air Force. However, the frequency and continuation of these air drops remain uncertain.

As the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, the US continues to explore alternative ways to deliver aid, including through land routes. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is engaging in ongoing discussions with his Israeli counterpart to facilitate aid through land crossings, including Rafah.

It is crucial to note that the current efforts to provide aid to Gaza are not solely driven by the US military but involve various entities and international cooperation. Major General Ryder reiterated the commitment to addressing the desperate need of the Palestinian people and pledged to continue working towards providing them with the assistance they require.