US-Built Gaza Pier Breaks Apart Due to Bad Weather

Facts

• A US military-built pier off the coast of northern Gaza broke apart on Tuesday due to harsh weather conditions. The Pentagon said that the pier will need 'rebuilding and repairing,' which will likely take more than a week. The pier cost around $320M.¹
• Fighting continued in Rafah, with Gaza's health authorities saying on Tuesday that Israeli tank shells killed 21 people in a tent camp in al-Mawasi, which was designated as a civilian evacuation zone. Israel denied carrying out the attack.²
• White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that Israel's offensive in Rafah would not prompt a change in policy, as the Biden Administration does not consider it to be 'a major ground operation,' defining such a scenario as thousands of troops entering the area.³
• Pres. Joe Biden said in a CNN interview earlier this month that the US will cut off offensive weapons to Israel 'if they go into Rafah.' Biden clarified in the interview that the US was still committed to Israel and would supply defensive weaponry.⁴
• Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, which was in talks to normalize relations with Israel before the war began, accused Israel of committing 'continuous genocidal massacres' against Palestinians in Gaza, specifically referring to an Israeli airstrike on a tent camp in Rafah on Sunday.⁵
• At the UN, Algeria is reportedly circulating a draft Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, an immediate halt in Israel's military offensive in Rafah, and the release of all hostages held by Hamas. The US, which has vetoed previous resolutions on the conflict, said it would review it.⁶

Sources: ¹CNN (a), ²Reuters, ³CNN (b), ⁴Politico, ⁵Timesofisrael and ⁶Associated Press.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has gotten out of hand, and the Biden administration's red lines are clear. Netanyahu must keep his promises and work with US allies to find a resolution to this conflict.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by Jewish News Syndicate. Facing pressure and criticism at home for supporting Israel, notably from its own political base, the Biden administration came up with this floating pier to show sympathy for Gaza civilians and try to deliver aid without helping terrorists. This operation was short-sighted, however, as it failed to address the root problem — Hamas' terrorist army, which must be completely defeated to ensure a lasting peace.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by Middle East Eye. The Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal war on Gaza. Regardless of the spin, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Palestinians are literally starving to death, and Biden would rather wax about unrealistic plans for new aid delivery mechanisms like building a port instead of taking concrete action to deter Israel's criminal behavior — which would be unsustainable without US support.

Predictions