WASHINGTON – The floating pier initiative for Gaza launched by former President Joe Biden has resulted in injuries to 62 US personnel and one death, in addition to over $31 million in damages to military equipment. It appears that the Army and Navy didn’t adequately plan, train, or coordinate their operations.
This project was unveiled during Biden’s 2024 coalition address amidst leftist protests against Israel’s Hamas, aiming to provide humanitarian aid to areas under terrorist control. Unfortunately, it was only operational for 20 days before being scrapped.
A report from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DOD OIG), released late Tuesday, highlighted the military’s unpreparedness for the missions involved. Even though progress was reported under Operation Neptune’s Comfort, the Army and Navy faced challenges due to insufficient mission-ready resources and low manpower and training levels.
The report pointed out that the Army and Navy failed to properly allocate maintenance and staff. Additionally, it noted that these branches were “not organized, trained, or equipped to a common joint standard.”
This disorganization led to damage of 27 vessels and other equipment, totaling $31 million, as various tools struggled to work together effectively. Specific Army and Navy assets, like vessels and communication systems, couldn’t integrate properly.
This report follows a similar analysis by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which had been monitoring since August 2024 and claimed $230 million in jetty damages despite the urgency of their situation.
An Army official cited in the DOD OIG report mentioned that the lack of interoperability resulted in both equipment damage and risks to communication security during Operation Gaza.
The U.S. Central Command documented 62 injuries during the Neptune’s Comfort operation, though it remains uncertain whether these were related to duty performance or preexisting medical issues.
Previously, the Pentagon confirmed that on May 23, 2024, three service members were hurt due to a non-combat incident. Tragically, one of the injured, Army Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, passed away on October 31 while receiving long-term medical treatment.
The floating pier ended up operating for only 20 days, delivering less than a third of the aid intended for approximately 1.5 million Palestinians over three months.
According to a USAID report, it only reached around 450,000 individuals before being discontinued.
Moreover, the report criticized the planning process, stating that designers of the pier didn’t adequately consider mission-specific information such as beach conditions and average sea states, which are crucial for executing Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operations.
A Pentagon spokesman did not provide a comment when requested.
