The Defense Department watchdog has launched an oversight review of military efforts to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza through a maritime corridor, which relies on a pier that has struggled to remain operational due to bad weather.
The Pentagon’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) initiated the review along with the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) OIG, saying they would review “key aspects” of the humanitarian aid mission and the effectiveness of the military. from the USA. humanitarian aid efforts.
The review will be conducted in phases, with the first examining the Pentagon’s responsibilities and management of the project and the second examining implementation.
Defense Department Inspector General Robert Storch said in a statement that he was working closely with the USAID OIG to “address the challenges associated with this mission.”
“Through our collaboration, we will leverage our teams’ unique experience, resources and capabilities to optimize our oversight in this important area,” said Storch.
The pier was first set up at the end of May, but in the first month after it came into operation it only operated for about 10 days, with rough seas and strong winds destroying the bridge and forcing a repair, and in another incident bad weather pushed the military to remove him for safety earlier this month.
When operational, the $230 million pier has been a crucial corridor, along with land crossings, to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza, where Palestinians struggle to access basic needs amid Israel’s war with Hamas.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters this week that the U.S. moved 13.6 million pounds of assistance through the docks.
The pier works by transporting aid from the island nation of Cyprus to a floating dock a few kilometers off the coast of Gaza. US military boats then transport the goods to the dock and help bring them to shore with the help of the United Nations and aid groups, without American boots touching the ground.
Along with the military, USAID also plays a crucial role in the effort by coordinating humanitarian assistance with the UN and other groups.
The USAID watchdog will also take a phased approach to oversight review and analyze the transfer of military aid to the UN and humanitarian aid workers.
“This initial review, in coordination with the DoD OIG, will provide timely insight and transparency into the delivery of assistance across the maritime corridor,” USAID Inspector General Paul Martin said in a statement.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
