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Two US soldiers injured in industrial accident at Gaza Aid Pier

Two US soldiers suffered minor injuries in a work-related accident near the makeshift floating pier in Gaza on Thursday.

The soldiers were immediately evacuated via the port of Ashdod to an Israeli hospital for treatment.

This incident occurred as part of extensive humanitarian operations conducted by the IDF in cooperation with COGAT, the Israeli Navy and the United States to provide aid to Gaza. The US has built a temporary floating pier to streamline the delivery of humanitarian aid.

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On Wednesday, 27 trucks carrying 371 pallets of humanitarian aid, including food and shelter, were delivered to international aid organization logistics centers in Gaza. In addition, trucks carrying humanitarian aid continue to reach Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Erez West border crossings.

A total of 281 trucks, including 50 carrying flour for the World Food Programme (WFP) and 45 Jordanian aid trucks, were checked and passed through these border crossings.

IDF spokesman
Aid trucks entered the northern Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing on April 11.IDF spokesman

To ensure the safety of the floating pier, the US Navy has installed a missile, artillery and mortar defense system (C-RAM) and an M-LIDS anti-drone system. Equipped with advanced radar and sensors, the C-RAM system can detect and neutralize threats from missiles, mortar shells and artillery fire.

The pier is connected to the Gaza shore by a causeway and allows humanitarian aid to be offloaded to a designated “marshalling yard” in the Netzarim Corridor. From there, contractors from USAID, UNRWA, the United Nations World Food Program and other organizations distribute aid throughout the Gaza Strip.

However, continued looting by Hamas and allied gangs is hampering the delivery of aid to its destinations.

In a statement to Politico, the US Department of Defense confirmed the brief test firing of the pier’s defense systems on May 17 to ensure functionality. There was no danger to life or property in the tests, which were carried out at sea.

The pier has been attacked several times by Hamas terrorists with mortar shells and explosive suicide drones.