U.S. Begins Airdrop of Humanitarian Aid in Gaza

The United States made its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza on Saturday, as the Biden administration tries to prevent a greater humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian territory.

Three U.S. Air Force cargo planes airdropped 38,000 ready-to-eat meals, in a joint operation with the Jordanian Air Force, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on Saturday.

The airdrops, which some aid experts criticized as insubstantial and largely symbolic, contribute “to ongoing U.S. government efforts to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza,” the statement said. “We are conducting planning for potential follow-on airborne aid delivery missions.”

One of the U.S. officials briefing reporters on the operation on Saturday said that 66 pallets had been dropped over Gaza. The official said that drop sites had been chosen in relatively safe areas where people were sheltering and in need. The U.S. did not coordinate its operation with Hamas or any other group on the ground, the official said.

The drop is intended to be the first of a sustained campaign, the official said, adding that the United States is also exploring other avenues of bringing more aid into Gaza, including by sea. The official and others at the briefing spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations and diplomatic efforts.