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The first of American humanitarian aid into Gaza was airdropped by the U.S. military on Saturday, according to the United States Central Command.
U.S. officials said the airdrop was carried out using three C-130 military planes. President Joe Biden announced on Friday that Washington was planning on delivering aid in coordination with Jordan amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
The Context:
According to figures reported by the AP, Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed over 30,000 Palestinians, with United Nation (U.N.) officials warning that at least a quarter of the population in Gaza are facing starvation. Biden, during a bilateral meeting at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said on Friday that there was "no excuses" for Israel's government to prohibit additional humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, and promised that American aid was on its way.
Saturday's airdrop comes a few days after Gaza's health ministry reported that at least 115 Palestinians were killed while trying to retrieve shipments from aid trucks. Witnesses said that Israeli troops opened fire on people who approached the trucks. However, the Israeli government said that many of those who were killed were trampled while trying to reach the trucks and that troops only fired when they felt endangered.
What We Know:
Biden has faced pressure at home over his policies toward the Israel-Hamas war, with many Democratic voters joining calls for a ceasefire. The president has also publicly rifted with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent months, with Israeli officials dismissing Washington's calls for Palestinian sovereignty following an end to the conflict in Gaza.
When reached for comment, the Pentagon directed Newsweek to a statement from the U.S. Central Command, which confirmed that airdrops had been made into Gaza between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. EST Saturday.
Central Command said that the aid included over 38,000 meals and was dropped "along the coastline of Gaza."
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also thanked the Central Command, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army in a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday "for conducting this important mission, which contributes to ongoing international and U.S. efforts to provide humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza."
Views:
U.N. officials have said that airdrops are not an efficient way of distributing aid into Gaza and should be used as a last resort measure. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Friday that while Washington viewed airdrops as "a supplement to, not a replacement for moving things in by ground," noting that trucks on the ground can transport more goods in a more efficient way.
Israel launched its military offensive in Gaza following a surprise attack on October 7, 2023, from the Palestinian-militant group Hamas, which left roughly 1,200 people dead and hundreds taken hostage. Netanyahu has said his military's goal is to eliminate Hamas, and the prime minister has offered a postwar vision for the Gaza Strip that includes Israel holding control over security and civilian affairs, a direct challenge to what the Biden administration has called for.
What's Next?
Biden said earlier this week that he is hopeful that a ceasefire negotiation in Gaza could be reached within the coming days.
Negotiators have tentatively reached an agreement for Israel to pause fighting for six weeks and allow for remaining hostages being held by Hamas to be released, according to the AP. The pause would also reportedly allow hundreds of trucks to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Update: 3/2/24, 11:40 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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About the writer
Kaitlin Lewis is a Newsweek reporter on the Night Team based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her focus is reporting on national ... Read more