US official says pier in Gaza was not designed to be ‘ultimate saviour’

US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood said the American pier built off the coast of Gaza was never meant to be the “ultimate saviour”.

“The scope of what’s needed in Gaza is huge… it was never meant to be the ultimate saviour of getting assistance, but it was a worthwhile effort,” Robert Wood told reporters at the UN in New York, adding that he wasn’t sure how long it would remain operational.

His remarks follow reports about the US plan to potentially dismantle the pier, after bad weather and infrastructural issues hindered its operations.

The UN and aid groups had warned that the US pier would not be a sustainable aid mechanism for Gaza, and would not substitute land routes, which have been blocked and severely restricted by Israel.