UN halts food distribution from US-built Gaza pier due to security concerns

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The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) is temporarily pausing its food distribution operations from a U.S.-built pier in Gaza after its warehouses were hit by rockets, representing the latest blow to efforts to get humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip from the pier.

The U.S. has spent some $320 million building the pier in the Mediterranean Sea to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza. But there have been chaotic scenes of hundreds of Palestinians looting aid convoys, and the structure has been battered by choppy weather.

Aid arrived at the pier on Saturday with about 492 metric tons being delivered, according to U.S. Central Command.

BEFORE AND AFTER: PHOTOS SHOW DESTRUCTION OF BIDEN'S $320M GAZA PIER

"To date, USCENTCOM has assisted in the delivery of more than 1,573 metric tons (~3.5 million pounds) of humanitarian aid. No U.S. military personnel went ashore in Gaza," the agency said in a statement. "This ongoing effort in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to deliver additional aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza is entirely humanitarian in nature and involves aid commodities donated by several countries and humanitarian organizations."

But on Sunday, Cindy McCain, WFP’s executive director, said the U.N. program was halting distribution due to safety concerns.

"Right now, we're paused because I'm concerned about the safety