U.S. Army Soldier Dies After Serious Injuries During Gaza Humanitarian Aid Operation

A U.S. Army soldier who was seriously injured while working on a humanitarian aid mission in Gaza has died, military officials confirmed.

Sgt. Quandarius Davon Stanley, 23, was injured in May when rough seas and strong winds damaged a US-built pier, throwing several Army vessels onto the shore.

Stanley, a motor transport operator with the 7th Transportation Brigade Expeditionary stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, suffered serious injuries that were not combat-related.

Despite months of treatment at a long-term care facility, he did not recover. Two other soldiers were also hurt during the incident, but they have since returned to duty.

Col. John “Eddie” Gray, Stanley’s brigade commander, shared that Stanley was a respected leader within the unit. “Our whole unit is grieving with his family,” Gray said, adding that support will continue to be provided to Stanley’s loved ones.

The pier project was part of a U.S. mission to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been devastated by conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The mission, initiated by President Joe Biden, involved 1,000 U.S. troops and aimed to deliver critical supplies to the region.

While the U.S. military has called it the largest aid operation in the Middle East, the mission faced multiple challenges, including dangerous weather, safety concerns, and attacks on aid convoys.

The operation officially ended in July, with the pier being removed from Gaza’s shoreline on June 28. Despite delivering about 20 million pounds of aid, many supplies were unable to go deep into Gaza due to continued violence.

The project also came with a high cost of $230 million.

Gaza is still in crisis, with authorities reporting nearly 43,300 Palestinian deaths after over a year of conflict. The situation worsened after Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 Israelis and returning over 250 hostages to Gaza.

References: TimesofIsrael, AP News

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Source: Maritime Shipping News