US completes first airdrop of food supplies into Gaza as ceasefire talks continue

The US military has dropped around 38,000 meals into Gaza, two days after more than 100 Palestinians were killed while trying to get aid from a convoy.

US Central Command said three US Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft participated in the airdrop along with Royal Jordanian Air Force craft.

The US planes dropped 66 bundles carrying military-issue meals at about 8.30am on Saturday.

A senior administration official told reporters on Saturday that the airdrops are the latest in a collective effort “at the highest levels of the US government” to lead efforts “to get lifesaving humanitarian aid into Gaza to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas”.

“This will be part of a sustained effort in conjunction with our international partners to scale up the amount of lifesaving aid we’re getting into Gaza,” the official said.

The airdrops will continue to be part of an “overall campaign” to step up the amount of aid being delivered to the territory, including through land crossings and a potential sea-based route under negotiation with Israeli and Cypriot officials.

“We’re looking at land routes, we’re looking at the sea route, and we’re looking at the air route to really ensure that we’re exploring every opportunity to get assistance in,” the official added.

Members of the Jordanian armed forces prepare to drop aid parcels to several areas in northern Gaza

A second official said the main challenge in getting aid into Gaza has not been getting trucks through checkpoints but distribution to the people who need it.

Lawlessness, “which was always a problem in the background, has now moved to a very different level”, the US official said, adding that there has been a “commercialisation” of