2024-03-02 17:10:51
Three US planes, in collaboration with Jordan, airdropped food in the Gaza Strip this Saturday (03/02/2024), at a time when the Palestinian enclave faces a growing humanitarian crisis after months of conflict.
The “combined humanitarian assistance airdrop in Gaza” was carried out “to provide essential relief to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict,” US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement.
C-130 military cargo planes “dropped more than 38,000 meals along the Gaza coast, allowing civilian access to critical aid,” he added.
President Joe Biden had announced the previous day that the United States would begin airlifting supplies to Gaza, after more than 100 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli attack on Thursday as they surrounded an aid convoy.
Biden has pressured Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid into the Gaza Strip, but at the same time has maintained military assistance to Israel, one of his traditional allies.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday that the United States plans to conduct multiple airdrops that would last weeks.
He also described the plan as a “difficult military operation” that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gaza civilians and US military personnel.
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