The United States has announced the upcoming conclusion of activities at its pier established to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, amidst ongoing conflicts in Israel. The $230m pier, installed in mid-May, has faced challenges such as detachment from the shore due to weather conditions and issues with aid distribution on land. “I do anticipate that in relatively short order, we will wind down pier operations,” stated National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during a press briefing on Thursday. Pentagon spokesman Major-General Pat Ryder added that the pier's operations will soon cease, with further details on the process to be provided in the coming days. According to a United Nations report, 96 percent of Gaza's population is currently food insecure, with nearly half a million Palestinians at risk of starvation during the nine-month conflict. Although the pier has successfully delivered 8,100 metric tonnes of aid to Gaza's shore marshalling area since its inception, adverse weather conditions have necessitated its removal multiple times. Sullivan emphasized that while the pier facilitated the provision of essential aid to Gaza, additional supplies are now being transported through land routes to ensure efficient distribution. Military efforts to re-anchor the Gaza pier to the beach were thwarted by technical and security challenges, leading to the suspension of aid distribution into Gaza by aid agencies. Despite the welcome gesture of providing food aid through the pier, critics argue that the project is a costly diversion and advocate for increased pressure on Israel to permit aid entry through land borders. The UN halted all World Food Programme (WFP) deliveries via the pier after an Israeli military operation on June 8, which saw the release of hostages but resulted in casualties among Palestinians. While the aid supply accumulated at the beach secure area initially, the WFP engaged contractors to move it to storage facilities for further dispersal, assisting in the clearance of a substantial aid quantity.