An American soldier was seriously injured and flown to Israel while working on an aid dock in Gaza

Three American soldiers were injured, one seriously, while working on an army aid dock in Gaza on Thursday.

US Admiral Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, told Reuters that the forces were working to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip on the temporary floating dock that the United States completed last week.

This incident represents the first casualties of American forces during the operation.

Two service members suffered a sprained ankle and a minor back injury.

“Two of them were very minor, routine injuries. “These individuals have returned to duty,” Cooper said.

He added that a third soldier was injured on a ship at sea and was medically transferred to a hospital in Israel.

A US Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the person was in critical condition.

President Biden announced the controversial floating dock in March to facilitate humanitarian access to millions in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli military offensive in the Strip.

It is estimated to cost about $320 million during the first 90 days of its opening last Thursday, and will be operated by about 1,000 US service members — who Biden has stressed will not enter Gaza itself.

The Pentagon said it would prioritize the safety of American military personnel.

“Our eyes are clear and we continue to look at force protection all day, every day, and as it stands now, we appreciate that operations can continue,” Cooper said.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon said 569 metric tons had been offloaded to the dock, but none of it had actually reached the Palestinians, who are in desperate need of food, water and other vital supplies.

Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder of the Air Force said that some of the trucks, operated by non-governmental organizations tasked with delivering aid to another area, were looted by thieves.

“We expect that aid will be distributed in the coming days here, of course if conditions allow,” Ryder said.

With mail wires