WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday said US military forces involved in a humanitarian aid pier operation off the coast of Gaza played no role in an Israeli hostage rescue operation in the Palestinian enclave on Saturday.
The Israeli operation rescued four hostages and left more than 270 Palestinians dead according to the local health ministry. The raid also led to claims on social media that the Israeli military used the US-built humanitarian pier as a staging ground.
“The pier, the equipment, the personnel all supporting that humanitarian effort had nothing to do with the IDF rescue operation,” Pentagon press secretary US Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters.
Why it matters: Allegations that the US or Israeli military used the aid pier operation as cover to launch military action in Gaza could put humanitarian workers in danger.
