US soldier injured on Gaza ‘aid’ pier dies – CNN
An American soldier who had been seriously injured during an aborted and widely criticized US mission to install an ‘aid pier’ in Gaza, died last week, a military official has told CNN.
Sergeant Quandarius Davon Stanley was wounded on May 27 while reportedly delivering to the beleaguered Gaza Strip amid the ongoing disproportionate Israeli offensive in the Palestinian enclave.
The cause of death has not been made public though the US military previously referred to a non-combat incident. The 23-year-old had initially been placed in an Israeli hospital, was later flown to the US for treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.
An unnamed defense official told CNN on Monday that Stanley, who was a native of Columbia, South Carolina, died on October 31. Shortly before his passing, he had been medically retired by his unit – the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary (TBX) – because it was clear that he could not continue military service with his injuries, the official added.
The commander of the 7th TBX, Colonel John ‘Eddie’ Gray, confirmed Stanley’s passing to the broadcaster. He described the sergeant as “an instrumental and well respected first line leader” in the unit, “especially during the mission to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.”
“We will continue to provide support to his family during this difficult time. Our entire unit mourns alongside his family,” Gray said.
The Gaza pier mission was announced by US President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address in March.
Washington planned to use the $230-million floating structure to deliver a quicker quantity of food that could sustain an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians in the enclave for more than three months.
However, the pier remained operational for only 20 days and was decommissioned on July 17 due to what the US Agency for International Development (USAID) described as “rough weather and high seas.” Only a third of the intended cargo had been supplied to Gaza during the period.
According to the US military, two more soldiers suffered minor injuries during the mission, sustaining a sprained ankle and a minor back injury. They were quickly able to return to their duties.
