The initial indication of trouble with the causeway was brought to light through a video shared on Israeli social media on Monday. In the video, an individual, believed to be an Israeli soldier in Gaza, captured footage of a section of the causeway floating in the Mediterranean.
The man, speaking in Hebrew, expressed concern over the American barge, stating that it had become disconnected and was on the verge of sinking. The video also showed at least one truck on the detached portion of the causeway.
Under normal circumstances, the pier is designed to handle the delivery of aid equivalent to 150 trucks per day, according to the Pentagon.
In addition to sea deliveries, the U.S. military has been providing aid to Gaza through parachute drops. However, this method has faced criticism for being costly and ineffective, particularly when compared to delivering aid through land crossings controlled by Egypt and Israel.
These recent challenges in assisting the distressed Palestinian population have emerged following the announcement by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) last week. The prosecutor revealed intentions to seek the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's defense minister, and also issued arrest warrants for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other Hamas leaders.
The ICC alleges that Israeli leaders bear criminal responsibility for a range of "war crimes," including the deliberate starvation of civilians.
Israel has vehemently denied these allegations and has pointed to the functioning pier as evidence of its efforts to deliver food to Gaza via sea, air, and land.