First photos of $320 million US relief pier off Gaza coast: 100 army and navy members continue construction despite fears Americans could be attacked, anger from Republicans and criticism that food is being blocked on land

The Pentagon released new photos Monday that provide the first close-up look at construction of a new pier that will bring aid to Gaza — in a project with rising costs that is already under scrutiny in Congress.

US Central Command images blown out of the project under the heading ‘Pier construction begins.’

It highlighted the construction of what the military calls a “floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean” to try to address massive disruptions to normal aid delivery amid Israel’s heavy campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters that the cost had risen to $320 million, about double an earlier estimate. She said it’s a rough estimate that includes transportation of huge pier sections, plus construction and relief operations.

The progress can be seen on satellite images of the port where the Israeli army is building the port, with US Navy ships nearby.

But Republicans in Congress are already labeling the project as a potential target for attack.

The Pentagon About 1,000 U.S. military personnel are said to be involved, mostly from the Army and Navy. Reuters first reported the new estimate of $320 million, about double from initial estimates earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

‘Costs have not only increased. It has exploded,” Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters when asked about the costs.

“How big of a burden will taxpayers be when the pier is finally built?” Wicker asked.

“For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up, as does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas’s rockets.”

The US-led effort also involves the Israeli forces

The government has pressured Israel to allow more humanitarian aid deliveries amid Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza

Engineers from the US Navy and the IDF are involved. This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the USNS Roy P. Benavidez in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

“This dangerous effort with marginal benefits will now cost American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for just 90 days.”

A satellite image Sunday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea next to the USNS Roy P. Benavidez.

President Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials pleaded with Israel to ease access for aid supplies to Gaza via land routes. By opening a second route for aid, this one by sea, Biden administration officials hope to prevent famine in northern Gaza.

Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, in response to Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, has devastated the tiny Gaza Strip and plunged its 2.3 million inhabitants into a humanitarian catastrophe.

Still, Wicker and some other lawmakers have questioned whether the pier is worth it, especially given the risk that U.S. military personnel could be targeted by Hamas militants.

Concerns about the threat of U.S. troops becoming entangled in the war between Israel and Hamas were underscored Thursday as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually hit the ground. However, there were no American troops present and they were miles offshore – out of range of the mortars.

Biden has ordered US troops not to set foot on the Gaza coast.

The pier will initially handle 90 trucks per day, but that number could increase to 150 trucks per day when the pier is fully operational. The United Nations said last week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza was 200 in April and peaked at 316 on Monday.

A senior Biden administration official said last week that humanitarian aid coming off the pier will have to go ashore through Israeli checkpoints.

This is despite the fact that the aid has already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus before being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent aid going to Hamas fighters that would increase their war efforts.

The prospect of checkpoints raises questions about possible delays even after aid reaches shore. The United Nations has long complained about obstacles to obtaining aid and distributing it in Gaza.

The United Nations has appealed for $2.5 billion to try to meet the most urgent needs of people living in the Gaza Strip between April and December.

Construction continues even as the US uses diplomatic channels to force Hamas into a ceasefire deal, which if successful would allow other methods to secure much-needed humanitarian aid.