USAID Officials Warned Against Gaza Pier, But Biden Pushed it Anyway
28th August 2024
off the coast of Gaza would face major challenges, but Biden pushed the $230 million plan anyway, an internal report reveals.
Biden promised, during his March State of the Union address, to open a pier to deliver humanitarian aid to the two million-plus people in the war-torn Gaza Strip. At the time, “multiple USAID staff expressed concerns” that rough waves posed major challenges for the project, according to an inspector general report published Tuesday. Biden’s focus on the pier also undermined the agency’s advocacy for opening more on-land pathways for aid—which the report deemed “more efficient and proven.”
Despite the agency’s objections, the White House pressured USAID to build the pier, which survived a mere 20 days. From the start, the operation was plagued by rough weather and security problems that significantly limited the amount of aid flowing into Gaza. Humanitarian aid groups criticized the project, calling it ineffective and wasteful.