(ConservativeJournal.org) – A U.S. official is claiming that none of the aid sent into Gaza over a floating pier ordered installed by President Joe Biden is reaching the Palestinian civilians. Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told members of the press on May 21 that the 569 tons of aid hasn’t reached the people who need it the most.
Ryder explained that U.S. military personnel deliver the aid to the bridge which is then taken into Gaza by non-U.S. contractors. They deliver it to staging areas run by NGOs who then distribute the supplies directly. Ryder said they are working on logistics to help establish clear corridors where the goods can be safely transported.
Ryder added that the aid is being intercepted and stolen before it can be properly distributed. It’s unclear if those hijacking the shipments are militants, civilians or a combination. He acknowledged a press report that 11 out of 16 trucks were “cleaned out” before they could arrive at their destinations.
Ryder acknowledged that the aid is getting into the territory, but it’s not clear who ends up receiving it.
Estimates flag the total costs involved in the operation at $320 million. An anonymous Pentagon official leaked the number to the press in late April. Earlier estimates were roughly half that value. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) blasted the explosion in costs in comments given to the press. He called the operation dangerous and suggested it had very little practical benefit.
Wicker also lamented the possibility that U.S. troops could be attacked by hostiles in the area, which would naturally provoke a response.
Biden announced the initiative during his State of the Union address in March. The effort has largely been perceived as an attempt to staunch the flow of progressives away from Biden’s campaign.
The President has faced criticism from members of his own party over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Democrats largely are demanding an immediate and complete ceasefire. Biden has largely tolerated the Israeli operation. A shipment of heavy bombs was delayed over concern they could be used in Rafah, but another package worth over a billion dollars will send ammunition, vehicles, and small arms to Israel.
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