US Floating Pier Operations For Gaza Aid Supply May Be Extended

JAKARTA - The United States (US) military jetty off the coast of Gaza may be extended past its permit date set on July 31 if the United States and aid organizations can redistribute aid to Palestine.

"Although the dock has been approved until July 31, I think it is very likely that the dock will continue operating for at least another month, or even longer," said Isobel Coleman, deputy policy and program administrator at the US International Development Agency. June.

Assistance through this dock began arriving on May 17. The UN said it was transporting 137 aid trucks to warehouses, weighing about 900 metric tons.

But the sea waves damaged the dock, forcing repairs, and bad weather and security considerations have limited the number of operational days of the dock and aid has flowed from the coast to Gazans.

Pentagon officials have warned marine conditions could get too bad for a floating dock after the summer.

"I understand there are some issues related to the weather in the fall that will hamper the dock," Coleman said.

"But before that, if we can get the dock back into operation and (if) the dock becomes an effective aid channel to Gaza, I think we'll find a way to keep it beyond the permit granted on July 31."

The US military estimates the dock will cost more than 200 million US dollars for the first 90 days alone and has involved about 1,000 members of the military. No estimates are given regarding the cost of expanding its operations.