U.S. Soldier Critically Injured in Noncombat Incident During Gaza Pier Mission

A U.S. soldier deployed on the Gaza pier mission is in critical condition after being injured in a noncombat-related incident on Thursday and evacuated to a hospital in Israel, a defense official confirmed. Two other soldiers were also injured and have since returned to duty.

According to the official, the injury occurred on the staging platform two miles off the coast of Gaza, which is being used to transfer aid from the cargo ship MV Roy P. Benavidez to smaller Army watercraft for delivery to the Gaza shoreline. USNI News first reported the injury occurred on the staging platform, but U.S. Central Command later clarified that the serious injury happened on the Benavidez.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, confirmed the injuries without providing details, citing privacy concerns. The critically injured soldier has not been identified as of Friday afternoon, pending family notification.

The Army completed the floating pier, known as a Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) operation, earlier this month to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The pier has delivered 820 metric tons of aid to the beach, and 506 metric tons have been distributed from the beach transfer point to Gaza residents by the United Nations.

Despite these efforts, international experts have reported severe food shortages affecting all 2.3 million residents of Gaza, with about half at “catastrophic” levels. Daniel Dieckhaus, director for USAID’s Levant Response Management Team, estimated that the delivered aid is sufficient to feed tens of thousands for a month, but acknowledged the significant challenges in meeting the needs of the population.

Concerns have been raised about the safety and sufficiency of the JLOTS operation, with criticisms that the aid efforts are inadequate and pose risks to American troops. Additionally, reports have emerged of aid looting, adding to the complexity of ensuring aid reaches those in need.

Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, and Dieckhaus emphasized the goal of assisting at least 500,000 people per month through the maritime corridor, while recognizing the logistical challenges involved in achieving this target.