Pentagon watchdog report reveals major operational failures in Biden’s $230 million Gaza aid pier mission, including 62 US troop injuries, millions in damages, and equipment shortfalls.
A new report by the US Department of Defense Inspector General has revealed critical failures in the planning and execution of the US military’s floating pier operation off Gaza’s coast, announced by then-President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address in March 2024, JNS reported.
The $230 million project—known as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore system (JLOTS)—was intended to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip via a temporary maritime platform. Biden had stated when announcing the project that the military would “lead an emergency mission” to construct a pier that would facilitate the arrival of large shipments of food, medicine, and other essentials. He promised that within weeks, “hundreds” of aid trucks would be entering Gaza daily.
But the mission—dubbed Operation Neptune Solace—faced repeated setbacks. The new Pentagon oversight report reveals that both the US Army and Navy failed to provide sufficient personnel, equipment, and planning to sustain the effort. As a result, the platform required frequent repairs and suffered significant operational disruptions.
According to US Central Command, 62 military personnel were injured during the course of the operation. “Based on the information provided, we were not able to determine which of these 62 injuries occurred during the performance of duties or resulted off-duty or from pre-existing medical conditions,” the Inspector General’s report noted.
Among the casualties was Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, who died after sustaining critical injuries. Two Israeli soldiers were also killed while securing the area around the pier, adding to the toll.
In total, the US Navy reported $31 million in damage to 27 vessels and pier components, with much of the equipment needing urgent maintenance following the deployment.
US officials confirmed last July that the United States would permanently end the temporary pier project.
The pier was only operational for a week before a storm broke it apart and put back together.
Later, US officials said the pier had been re-attached to the shore after being temporarily removed again days earlier due to poor sea conditions.
The pier was to have been reinstalled in July and then be used for several days before being taken down, but the effort to reattach it was unsuccessful.
