Is the US-built floating pier for Gaza aid safe?

The US military has completed the construction of a floating pier that’s meant to increase the flow of desperately needed aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. Shipments are expected to begin in the coming days, and the Pentagon says the pier could eventually lead to the delivery of approximately 2 million meals per day.

Security issues: The operation involves complex logistics and presents numerous security concerns. The shoreline distribution area came under mortar fire during construction — raising questions as to how it will be kept safe from future attacks.

Though US troops won’t be on the ground in Gaza, they’re participating in the delivery process, and lawmakers in Washington have expressed concern over the risks. The US military says their safety is a “top priority.”

“The last thing Biden wants is dead US soldiers or servicemen in Gaza or a situation where he has to put boots on the ground,” says Gregory Brew, a Eurasia Group analyst.

Though Hamas will likely be “tempted to target the operation,” Brew says it’s hard to see how the militant group would benefit from this because disrupting aid could degrade support among the local population. “But the pier is going to be a target regardless.”

It also seems unlikely that Iran or its proxies will get involved, Brew says, given “Tehran has maintained its distance from the events inside Gaza.”

Israeli forces will oversee security on the shore, and the UN will handle distributing the aid. Meanwhile, two US warships in the area are ready to protect US forces or allies if necessary.