(CNN) — The temporary pier constructed by the US military to transport aid into Gaza is expected to resume operations as soon as Friday and aid distribution will resume within the next day assuming all goes to plan, a US defense official said.
The pier broke apart and sustained damage in heavy seas last week in a major blow to the American-led effort to create a maritime corridor for humanitarian supplies into the war-torn enclave.
The pier is the result of months of work by US officials trying to come up with a way to get aid into Gaza in addition to dropping it out of planes or trucking it through border checkpoints Even though it was operational for only about a week, the pier helped deliver some 1,000 metric tons of aid into Gaza before breaking apart.
The temporary pier, called the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS), requires very good sea conditions to operate. It cost $320 million and had only begun operating on May 17.
The JLOTS system consists of two parts: the floating pier where shipments will be offloaded and the causeway to transfer the shipments to the distribution point in Gaza.
The damage last week came after significant obstacles on distribution routes including Hamas drones and looting that delayed the deliveries. As a result, the US military had to help USAID come up with alternative, safer routes for trucks leaving the marshaling area on the beach near the pier and traveling to the warehouses.
Before then, the US had faced a number of challenges with the pier, including planning around Israel’s operations in Rafah; establishing who would transport the aid from the pier into Gaza; and logistical challenges such as sea and weather conditions.
The pier’s construction came as the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates and the death toll from Israel’s bombardment climbs. In Gaza, the entire population has faced food insecurity.
The US has made a number of air drops of humanitarian aid into Gaza in partnership with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
US officials previously told CNN the US military is likely to operate the pier for at least three months, but the ultimate goal is to turn it into a full-time commercial operation that can be used by other countries and non-governmental organizations.
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