US military begins pier construction off Gaza

The Pentagon announced on Thursday that the US military has started the construction of a maritime pier aimed at facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The completion of the jetty is anticipated by early May. The construction is part of an initiative to prevent famine in the Palestinian enclave, occurring amidst Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

"I can confirm that US military vessels, to include the USNS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea," Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters.

Ryder said that the Pentagon was monitoring a mortar attack in Gaza, resulting in minimal damage to the marshalling area for the pier. However, he added that US forces had not yet initiated any movement to that location, and there were no US forces present on the ground.