The Pentagon’s internal watchdog has initiated a probe into the Gaza aid pier under the Biden administration, as revealed by the agency on Thursday. Since its inauguration in mid-May, the $230 million floating pier, designed to facilitate aid transportation through the Mediterranean Sea, has encountered various issues, raising doubts about its operational capabilities. The Offices of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development are collaborating on an investigation to evaluate the pier’s efficiency in delivering aid, as stated in the announcement.
“The DoD OIG and USAID OIG are working together to address the challenges associated with this mission. Through our collaboration, we will leverage the unique expertise, resources, and capabilities of our teams to optimize our oversight in this important area,” Pentagon Inspector General Robert P. Storch said in a statement.
The inquiry follows weeks of operational and logistical challenges that have consistently closed the pier, obstructed aid delivery to the Palestinians, and potentially put U.S. troops at risk. President Joe Biden informed the Pentagon of his pier plan just days before publicly revealing it, causing defense officials to hastily gather resources for the project.
The pier, constructed quickly by the U.S. military in May, is unable to function under normal Mediterranean sea conditions, leading officials to close it until rough weather passes, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Severe weather conditions caused the pier to break apart in mid-May, prompting it to be towed north for repairs.
The main UN agency responsible for aid distribution in Gaza decided to halt deliveries from the pier earlier in June due to security concerns. U.S. officials are now allegedly cautioning aid organizations in Gaza that the pier will be permanently closed in the upcoming weeks instead of the previously planned date of September, according to The New York Times.
“It’s not redeemable and was a dangerously foolish idea from the beginning,” Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East Simone Ledeen said. “A huge waste of human and financial resources.”
