Pentagon faces confusion over two day pause in aid distribution in Gaza

Movement of aid from the assembly area resumed on Tuesday after discussions between Israel, the UN and the US to identify alternative routes for the safe movement of staff and cargo, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a news briefing. 

It is anticipated that the assistance will be distributed in the coming days, Ryder said. 

Ryder said 596 metric tons had been sent ashore to Gaza in the three days since the temporary pier first went operational. 

Aid interceptions 

However, Ryder clarified that does not mean 596 metric tons of aid have been distributed to civilians in need. 

The number of trucks going on and off the pier does not equate to the number of trucks transporting aid to the distribution warehouse. 

Ryder expressed confidence that the amount of aid transported on the pier will increase. 

On Saturday, only five truckloads made it to the warehouse after 11 others were cleaned out by Palestinians during the journey through an area that a U.N. official said has been hard to access with humanitarian aid.

"Some of that initial aid that was brought in, as it was being taken along a transportation route, was intercepted by some people who took that aid off those vehicles," Ryder said. "Subsequently, there's been discussions by which to ensure that there's alternate routes so that it can be delivered to warehouses."

Ryder did not specify who was involved in intercepting the aid. 

It's also unclear if the IDF is supposed to be responsible for providing security for the trucks until the aid is delivered to the warehouse.

There was confusion in the Pentagon's briefing room on Tuesday as reporters tried to understand the cause for the delay in the aid delivery and the Pentagon's shift in quantifying aid by the metric ton instead of the truckload. 

The UN did not receive any aid from the pier on Sunday or Monday. "We need to make sure that the necessary security and logistical arrangements are in place before we proceed," said the UN official.

Aid offloaded at the pier comes via a maritime corridor from Cyprus, where it is first inspected by Israel. The pier operation is estimated to cost $320 million and involves 1,000 US service members.

US officials have said the pier would initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go to 150 trucks. The UN has said at least 500 trucks a day are needed to enter Gaza.