The US military has carried out its first airdrop of food aid into Gaza in a bid to alleviate a worsening food shortage.
US Central Command and senior officials of the Biden administration say the militaries of the US and Jordan airdropped cargo containing food into Gaza on Saturday.
They say the combined operation involved C-130 transport aircraft dropping over 38,000 meals along the Mediterranean coastline.
This is the first airdrop of relief supplies by the US government since the conflict began between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.
Central Command says it is planning potential follow-up delivery missions. The Biden administration is reportedly also considering shipping aid by sea.
Truck convoys carrying aid supplies are only allowed to pass through two checkpoints in southern Gaza. That makes it difficult for goods to reach the northern areas which are said to be on the verge of famine.
President Joe Biden announced on Friday the plan to airdrop aid into Gaza in coming days.
“People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families,” he said.
The Biden administration has been under fire for its continued military assistance of Israel amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The first airdrop is viewed as an attempt to respond to this criticism.
Footage taken by a camera crew from NHK’s Gaza office shows a number of large transport planes dropping what appear to be aid supplies by parachute over coastal areas. The crew filmed the video in the southern city of Rafah at around 4 p.m. on Saturday, local time.
Residents of Gaza say they appreciate the airdropped supplies, but many are also calling for an increase in truck deliveries which would ensure a stable supply of goods.
SOURCE: NHK, Sunday, March 03, 2024
