American troops injured throughout Gaza relief operation
Date
5/28/2024 5:39:33 AM
(MENAFN) The recently initiated mission by the United States military to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza through a newly constructed pier on the Mediterranean coast has encountered its first setbacks, with at least three soldiers sustaining non-combat injuries, one of whom is reported to be critically wounded.
Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, deputy chief of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), revealed that the injuries occurred on Thursday, marking the first such incidents since US troops commenced aid deliveries through the new pier earlier this month. While two of the service members suffered minor injuries and were able to resume duty, the third required evacuation to an Israeli hospital for treatment. However, details surrounding the circumstances of these injuries were not disclosed by Cooper.
According to unidentified military officials cited by USNI News, the most severely wounded soldier sustained injuries while working on a ship off the coast. The service member was reportedly engaged in activities on a staging platform when the incident occurred.
The establishment of the temporary pier by the United States military aimed to streamline the delivery of food and other humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, where conditions have deteriorated significantly amid ongoing conflict. Gaza health authorities have reported over 35,000 casualties since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October, with the World Food Program warning of a "full-blown famine" due to insufficient aid reaching the besieged enclave amidst Israeli bombardments.
The aid delivery process involves routing shipments from humanitarian groups and donor countries through Cyprus to a floating dock situated approximately two miles off the Gaza coast. Subsequently, the aid is loaded onto trucks and transported by United States Army watercraft to the newly constructed pier, from where it is distributed to various distribution centers within Gaza by aid workers.
Despite the challenges encountered during the humanitarian mission, efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza persist, underscoring the ongoing commitment of the United States military and its partners to provide essential aid to vulnerable populations in conflict-affected areas.
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