President Joe Biden didn't have much to say about all of the pro-Hamas encampments popping up on college campuses recently, but he did try to take a "very fine people on both sides" approach when pressed: He said he condemned antisemitism but he also condemned "those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians."
After realizing that Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't going to heed his request to wrap up Israel's war against Hamas in a matter of weeks, Biden turned his attention to Palestinian aid. So Biden was sending military aid to the people who were committing genocide against the Palestinians, and also sending aid to the Palestinians.
Someone in the White House gave Biden an idea that would placate Muslim voters; he would send in the U.S. military to build a temporary pier so that ships could unload humanitarian aid into Gaza. That sounded a lot like boots on the ground, but the administration made it clear that the troops would build the pier entirely offshore and then push it into place, ensuring no boot touched Gazan soil.
Not surprisingly, Palestinian terrorists fired mortar shells at the pier as United Nations officials were touring the site.
Now Newsweek is reporting that the floating pier has moved into Hamas' line of fire.
U.S. Gaza pier moves into Hamas line of fire https://t.co/SK7tfG1Zfw pic.twitter.com/PdyrMd2DYR
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 16, 2024
David Brennan reports:
President Joe Biden's controversial Gaza Strip humanitarian pier is now anchored off the coast of the devastated Palestinian territory, potentially putting it in the sights of Hamas and other militant groups that have vowed to attack any foreign military presence.
…
Though no militant group has yet issued a direct threat against the pier, the coastal location intended for the structure was hit by mortars in April. The attack on a "marshaling area" for the pier caused minimal damage and took place while U.S. ships involved in the operation were offshore, Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder said at the time.
…
During a Wednesday briefing with journalists, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of CENTCOM, stressed that there "will be no U.S. military boots on the ground in Gaza" as part of the humanitarian aid delivery project.
"As a point of emphasis, this a 100 percent humanitarian mission, and any attack on those working on it, on this mission, is an attack on aid for the people of Gaza," he said. "We will continue to assess and reassess security to inform our operation every day."
Asked how the U.S. would respond in case of an attack, Cooper declined to "address a hypothetical" but added that "anyone interfering with that will interfere with assistance going right to the people of Gaza, and we'll leave it at that."
Putting U.S. troops into a war zone to build a pier was such a stupid idea but the administration made it happen almost immediately.
John Kirby recently assured reporters that U.S. troops would be authorized to return fire if attacked.
Who could have possibly seen this coming?
— JWF (@JammieWF) May 16, 2024
"moves into Hamas line of fire"
— Sunny (@sunnyright) May 16, 2024
Pretty sure the Hamas line of fire is directed at the pier.
…so, Hamas is firing on the aid coming to help them?
— Courtney O’Dell (@sweetcsdesigns) May 16, 2024
Who ever could predict this
This is an all time headline.
— Matt Grilli (@grilli262) May 16, 2024
Can't they just move it like a couple feet over to be out of the line? Sounds like a big misunderstanding!
— Buffet king (@buffetbandits) May 16, 2024
So, it was just revealed that Hamas has made half a billion dollars on humanitarian aid sent by countries including the US. We are literally funding Hamas! This pier will last about a minute before Hamas takes it over.
— LizaM (@gotchatheregrin) May 16, 2024
"Moves in Hamas line of fire" that's a weird way to say that Hamas is shooting at it
— Lencz (@Lencz01) May 16, 2024
Things just keep getting in the way of Hamas line of rocket and gunfire. Piers, Jews, concert goers... https://t.co/syq8cK4Eua
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) May 16, 2024
Simply amazingly stupid Newsweek headline.
— jtsly66 (@jtsly66) May 16, 2024
So, is Hamas going to steal all of the humanitarian aid as it arrives, or are they going to blow up the pier?
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