WASHINGTON: The temporary US pier aimed at boosting aid shipments to Gaza has been reattached to the coast and deliveries of humanitarian assistance have resumed, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
The pier was moved to an Israeli port last week to protect it from anticipated high seas — the second time that bad weather required it to be detached from the coast since it was first installed last month.
“I can confirm that US Central Command personnel reanchored and reestablished the temporary pier to the Gaza beach yesterday,” with Israeli forces assisting so there were no American troops on the ground, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder told journalists.
The delivery of aid via the pier resumed overnight, bringing the total brought into Gaza using the structure to more than 4,100 metric tons (nine million pounds) of assistance, he said.
The pier was first anchored to the Gaza coast in mid-May, but was damaged by bad weather later in the month and had to be removed for repairs.
It was then reattached to the coast on June 7, but aid deliveries were soon paused for two days due to weather conditions, and the pier was then temporarily removed on June 14.
In another challenge to efforts to deliver aid by sea, the UN World Food Program has suspended the distribution of assistance that arrives via the pier to assess the security situation.
The move came after Israel conducted a military operation nearby that freed four hostages, but which Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry said killed more than 270 Palestinians.
Gaza is suffering through a war which broke out after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, although the army says 41 are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 37,431 people, also mostly civilians, according to the territory’s health ministry.
US pier reattached to Gaza coast, aid deliveries resume
https://arab.news/numr5
US pier reattached to Gaza coast, aid deliveries resume
- The pier was moved to an Israeli port last week to protect it from anticipated high seas
- It is the second time that bad weather required it to be detached from the coast since it was first installed last month
World Government Summit 2026 set to be largest ever
- 35 world leaders confirmed, says WGS’ Mohammad Al-Gergawi
- ‘Because the challenges of the future cannot be tackled alone’
DUBAI: This year’s World Government Summit will be the largest in the event’s history, said Mohammad Al-Gergawi, the WGS foundation’s chairman, on Friday.
Speaking at an event at the Museum of the Future, Al-Gergawi said 35 heads of state and government officials have confirmed their attendance, including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin.
The WGS is an annual event held in Dubai which explores governance, and focuses on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges facing humanity.
Al-Gergawi said 24 side events would take place during the summit including forums on artificial intelligence, education, and sustainability.
Over 35 ministerial meetings are on the program including the Ministerial Roundtable with Arab Youth Ministers, Future of Tourism Roundtable, and Sustainable Development Goals Global Council Launch.
Al-Gergawi said four honors would be awarded during the summit, for best minister, most reformed government, sustainability, and best teacher.
He added that the world’s largest global gathering of Nobel laureates would take place during the summit.
“The World Laureate Summit aims to host a platform for laureates to present scientific solutions for problems governments are facing and will invite 50 laureates from various disciplines,” he explained.
Al-Gergawi said the WGS aims to play a key role in boosting collaboration between the private and public sectors.
“The success of the summit depends on the presence of governments, international organizations and the sector that shapes the future, the private sector,” he said.
“The success of the summit is directly linked to partnerships. Each partnership and initiative launched contributes to overcoming challenges in the future,” he added.
“The World Government Summit gathers everyone because the challenges of the future cannot be tackled alone,” Al-Gergawi said.
The summit takes place at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah from Feb. 3 to 5.
