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The US military has officially declared an end to the mission of its floating pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip that was apparently used to facilitate an Israeli massacre instead of delivering aid to the besieged territory.

Speaking at a news briefing on Wednesday, Navy Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), claimed that the water dock had “achieved its intended effect to surge a very high volume of aid into Gaza”.

"The maritime surge mission involving the pier is complete. So there's no more need to use the pier," he added.

US President Joe Biden announced back in March the construction of the $230 million pier that involved 1,000 US soldiers and sailors. 

However, bad weather delayed the initial installment of the maritime corridor, and then in late May, broke it apart. Since then, the US military has detached the pier and moved it to the port of Ashdod.

As a result, the pier operated only 25 days and delivered supplies equivalent to just a couple of days’ worth of the aid that flowed into Gaza before Israel’s ongoing genocidal war.

Meanwhile, reports said it facilitated the Israeli massacre against the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza that killed at least 274 people and wounded nearly 700 others on June 8.

The ex-US aid director for the West Bank and Gaza, Dave Harden, said that the now-closed pier was “interesting in theory, but in practice, an absolute failure – and my concern is who will be held accountable?”

“What we have not seen is a robust opening of the crossings … I think this goes first to the Israelis, and second to the Americans,” he told Al Jazeera. “And in the meantime, the Gazans themselves continue to suffer. This was a tragedy compounding a tragedy."

Biden had already expressed disappointment in the temporary water dock, saying, “I was hopeful that would be more successful.”

Several congressmen had also criticized the Gaza pier for its cost and potential risk to US troops.

Furthermore, the Gaza government had condemned the US project as a publicity stunt “to beautify its ugly face.”

Similarly, aid groups had denounced the pier as a distraction, saying Washington should have instead put pressure on Israel to open Gaza crossings and allow humanitarian aid to enter the blockaded Palestinian territory.

“The US wanted to show that it was doing something to aid the humanitarian effort, and yet it wasn’t successful in pushing Israel to do the most obvious necessary thing — which is to allow full access via the land crossing, or allow access from Israeli and West Bank markets,” said Tania Hary, the executive director of Gisha, an Israeli rights group.

“So it put in this incredibly expensive, inefficient workaround that ended up proving to be a completely disastrous waste of money, and a colossal and embarrassing failure on top.”

Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after the Hamas resistance group carried out its historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 38,794 Palestinians, mostly women, and children, in Gaza, and injured 89,166 others.

A family of four from Kerala, who had just returned to Kuwait after a vacation, died in a tragic fire at their Abbasiya residence on Friday night. The victims are Mathew Mulackal (40), wife Lini Abraham (38) and children Irin (14) and Issac (9), all hailing from Neerattupuram, Alappuzha.

The family returned to their Kuwait flat on Friday evening, after a month-long vacation in Kerala. The fire, believed to have been caused by an air conditioning unit malfunction, broke out around 9 p.m. Preliminary reports suggest that the family died from inhaling toxic fumes.

Mathew was employed with Reuters, while Lini worked as a nurse in Kuwait. They had returned from their vacation just ahead of the reopening of their children's school. 

The family had recently built a new home in Kerala, which was completed a year ago. During their vacation, they visited the house for a blessing ceremony but couldn't stay long due to their return schedule.

Fire brigade and police have launched an investigation. The Indian Ambassador in Kuwait, along with Union Ministers, are taking measures to repatriate the bodies to India. 

"Embassy @indembkwt expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of Mr Mathews Mulackal, his wife and 2 children due to fire in his flat in Abassiya yesterday night," the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on X.

"Embassy is in touch with his family and will ensure early repatriation of mortal remains," it added. Mathews Mulackal is survived by his mother and three siblings.

"Mathew has been working there for the past 15 years. His wife is a nurse. The children are studying there. They left after their vacation on Thursday night from Nedumbassery and reached Kuwait on Friday," a relative told the media on Saturday.

Notably, this happened more than a month after a massive blaze at a building in Kuwait killed 46 Indian nations. Authorities say an electrical short circuit in the room of the guard on the ground floor of the building caused the blaze. Of the 196 residents in the housing facility, 175 are Indians, 11 are Filipinos and the rest are from Thailand, Pakistan and Egypt.

Bengaluru: Apex IT industry body Nasscom has expressed deep disappointment and concern over Karnataka's quota-for-locals bill mandating reservation for locals in private sector, and has exhorted the state government to withdraw the bill.

Nasscom's strong note of dissent assumes significance as it adds to the growing chorus of top industry voices, which have warned that the legislation would erode the state's edge in technology, and reverse the progress made so far.

The IT industry body has sought an urgent meeting with state authorities to discuss the concerns and "prevent the state's progress from being derailed", the association said.

"Nasscom members are seriously concerned about the provisions of this bill and urge the state government to withdraw the bill. The bill's provisions threaten to reverse this progress, drive away companies, and stifle startups, especially when more global firms (GCCs) are looking to invest in the state," a Nasscom release said.

Stating that the tech sector contributes to 25 per cent of the state GDP, houses a quarter of the country's digital talent, has over 11,000 startups and 30 per cent of the total GCCs, Nasscom contended that the restrictions could force companies to relocate as local skilled talent becomes scarce.

"In today's highly competitive landscape, knowledge-led businesses will locate where talent is as attracting skilled workers is crucial for success... For states to become a key technology hub a dual strategy is key - magnet for best talent worldwide and focussed investment in building a strong talent pool within the state through formal and vocational channels," it said.

The technology sector has been crucial to Karnataka’s economic and social development, with Bengaluru known globally as India's Silicon Valley.

"The technology sector contributes almost 25 per cent of the state GDP and has played a key role in enabling higher growth for the state, higher per capita income than the national average. With over a quarter of India’s digital talent, the state houses over 30 per cent of the total GCCs and around 11,000 start-ups," it said.

Nasscom rued that it is "deeply disturbing" to see this kind of bill which will not only hamper the growth of the industry, but impact jobs and the global brand for the state.

The Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024 was approved by the state cabinet on Monday, and it seeks to reserve 50 per cent of management positions and 75 per cent of non-management positions in the private sector for locals.

The Bill has triggered controversy and criticism from across industry. Industry veteran Mohandas Pai termed the Bill "very regressive", and "draconian".