US conducts first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza
US C-130s dropped over 38,000 meals.
WASHINGTON - The United States (US) announced on Saturday that it had conducted the first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with more than 30,000 meals parachuted from military planes.
"US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Gaza on March 2, 2024, between 3 and 5 pm (Gaza time) to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.
"US C-130s dropped over 38,000 meals along the coastline of Gaza, allowing civilian access to critical aid," Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted CENTCOM as saying in a statement.
"We are conducting planning for potential follow-on airborne aid delivery missions. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort to get more aid into Gaza, including expanding the flow of aid through land corridors and routes," said CENTCOM.
According to multiple reports, the airdrop took place in Rafah city of Gaza near the border with Egypt, and more airdrops are expected in the coming days.
President Joe Biden announced on Friday that the US will begin airdropping humanitarian aid into Gaza alongside Jordan and other countries.
He also said the US will seek to open up other avenues into Gaza, including the possibility of a marine corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance.
In addition to expanding deliveries by land, Biden stated that the US will insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and routes into the besieged enclave.
The airdrop comes two days after Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid at the Al Nabulsi roundabout on Al Rashid Street, a major coastal road west of Gaza City in northern Gaza, killing over 100 and injuring over 760. - BERNAMA-ANADOLU
