Pentagon to Shut Down Aid Pier in Gaza

The Biden administration will dismantle the $230 million temporary pier that the U.S. military built to expedite humanitarian aid to Gaza, U.S. officials announced. The pier, along with support vessels and other equipment, will return to port in Ashdod, Israel, until further notice. An attempt to reattach the pier to the beach in Gaza failed this week.

Humanitarian groups criticized the pier for largely failing in its mission. Over the nearly two months since it was first connected to the shoreline, the pier was operational for only about 20 days, according to military officials. The rest of the time, it was under repair due to rough seas, detached to prevent further damage, or unused because of security concerns.

In Israel: An Israeli general was cleared of wrongdoing for authorizing a tank to fire at an Israeli home where Hamas fighters were holding hostages during the Oct. 7 attack. The strike likely killed at least one captive and wounded another.

In Gaza: Many Gaza City residents are ignoring an Israeli warning to flee south. “People are being killed wherever we are,” one resident said.

In Egypt: Some of the tens of thousands of Gazans who fled to Cairo expressed concerns about their future prospects there.