According to a new report from the US Agency for International Development, President Joe Biden forced the launch of the failed Gaza aid pier despite warnings from experts.
A newly released report from the organization’s inspector general read in part “multiple USAID staff expressed concerns that the focus on using JLOTS would detract from the Agency’s advocacy for opening land crossings, which were seen as more efficient and proven methods of transporting aid into Gaza.”
A separate statement released by the Department of Defense also noted that analysts had acknowledged the risks of using the pier. According to the department, analysts knew from the beginning that “there would be challenges as part of this in this complex emergency.”
In addition to ignoring the warnings, the USAID report accused the White House of failing to honor commitments it made to the United Nations in distributing aid to Gaza residents. Although the United States had promised to place a pier in northern Gaza, central Gaza is where the pier was ultimately located.