Here’s a case of “biting the hand that feeds you.”
Hamas-led terrorists attacked a pier on Wednesday that is currently under construction along the Gaza shoreline.
US President Joe Biden announced the project during his State of the Union address earlier this year, saying he would order American forces to coordinate with the Israel Defense Forces in an “emergency mission” to build a “temporary seaport” for Gaza.
Officials later said the US would work with the United Nations and other humanitarian aid partners to distribute aid across Gaza once it reaches the seaport. They also said an Israel Defense Forces “security bubble” will be created to protect the US personnel involved in building the pier, as well as those involved in distributing the aid.
The “temporary port” is expected to facilitate deliveries of additional humanitarian aid to Gaza via a maritime corridor from Cyprus, where they will undergo Israeli inspection prior to setting forth.
But the terrorists do not appear interested in additional aid for their civilian population: they launched mortar shells at the pier while the IDF was guiding United Nations officials on a tour of the site.
A Hamas official told the Associated Press that the group resists any foreign military presence involved with the project.
US Navy personnel have been tasked with building the pier.
“The terrorist organizations continue to systematically harm humanitarian efforts while risking the lives of UN workers, while Israel facilitates the supply of aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said in a statement.
In accordance with standard procedure, the UN officials were rushed by IDF soldiers to a nearby bomb shelter at the start of the attack.
