BRITISH sniper teams were last night being readied to protect the construction of a pier on Gaza from Hamas suicde boats.
It comes as Israel was forced to shut down a vital aid crossing following a rocket attack by Hamas which killed four IDF soldiers.
Defence secretary Grant Shapps has already confirmed that the amphibious landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay is providing accommodation for US forces just hundreds of yards off the coast.
Now, Royal Marines have been tasked to provide “security overwatch” for those US military personnel building the pier to deliver humanitarian aid.
Snipers drawn from 42 Commando will be positioned in two-man teams in the next few days to monitor the construction operation and counter any threat by Hamas to attack the US project teams.
They will be joined by air defence teams while the so-called ‘mulberry’ platform is built almost 1,000 yards out into the sea.
One of their main tasks will be to stop any Hamas suicide boat intending to ram the vessel.
They will also constantly monitor activity around the international effort to get aid to millions of Palestinians.
RFA Cardigan Bay has the capacity to accommodate 800 personnel who can be ferried by landing craft from the ship to the pier. This is done via an internal dock within the 16,800 tonne support ship.
The vessel has spent the past six years based in Bahrain in support of Royal Marine counter terrorist operations, and has the capability to operate three Chinook helicopters from her deck.
Military chiefs have still to decide whether it will be anchored off the pier, or alongside it – allowing workers easy access to the construction site.
Last night a senior source said: “Any use of lethal force by British troops will be only be in response to an act of violence or a situation to save life
“There is concern that Hamas may try and attack the US troops assisting in this endeavour either by missile or with a suicide bomber getting close to the construction work.
“The main role of our teams will be to maintain surveillance around any activity that is close to the construction workers or the ship that could disguise an attack.”
Navy chiefs are also keen to maintain an ‘air corridor’ above the Gaza operation to avoid any Hamas drones getting close and ensure that the Israelis do not bomb the operation by mistake.
The US Navy has deployed an aircraft carrier to the region and will mount around-the-clock surveillance.
Defence secretary Grant Shapps said the UK continues to take a leading role in the delivery of support in coordination with the US and our international allies.
“The crew of RFA Cardigan Bay are central to the UK’s contribution to the multinational plan to greatly expand the flow of aid into Gaza,” he said.
“This will complement the priority of getting more aid via land routes and Ashdod port in Israel, by enabling tens of thousands of tonnes to be delivered directly from the sea on to the beach.”
Israel was yesterday forced to shut down the key land crossing at Kerem Shalom, which was essential for the delivery of aid to Paestinians, after armed Hamas militants fired ten rockets during an attack which killed four IDF soldiers.
As a result, it was closed to aid trucks travelling from Israel, just as the head of the UN World Food Programme warned of a ‘full-blown famine’ in northern Gaza.
The attack was cited as further evidence that the terror group is using Palestinians as so-called human shields, and came as the latest round of ceasefire talks neared collapse.
