U.S. President Joe Biden has announced a new initiative to conduct the first-ever US military airdrop of essential supplies into Gaza. The decision comes in response to the tragic events on Thursday, where dozens of Palestinians lost their lives in a crowd crush while attempting to access an aid convoy. The incident shed light on the escalating humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region.
Expressing concern, President Biden emphasized the inadequacy of current aid levels and pledged increased efforts from the United States. During a joint press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Biden said, "We won't stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several."
The White House later confirmed that the airdrop would occur "in the coming days" and would be a recurring operation in the subsequent weeks. The delivery of aid to Gaza has been a contentious issue during the ongoing five-month war, triggered by a significant Hamas attack on Oct, 7.
According to Times of Israel, Israel, responsible for checking all trucks entering Gaza, has criticized the United Nations for delays in aid delivery and a general decrease in shipments over the past month. The UN, citing increased difficulties in aid distribution within Gaza, noted a decline in aid flow from Egypt and disruptions at Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing.
In response to the unfolding crisis, President Biden announced plans for joint efforts with Jordan and others to conduct airdrops of food and supplies. He also mentioned exploring the possibility of a "marine corridor" for delivering larger amounts of aid to Gaza.
Addressing concerns about Israel's role, Biden insisted, "We will insist that Israel let in more aid trucks. No excuses." The decision to implement airdrops was reinforced by the tragic events on Thursday, where conflicting reports emerged regarding the causes of casualties during the aid delivery.
In the coming days, the United States will carry out airdrops of aid to Gaza, redouble our efforts to open a maritime corridor, and expand deliveries by land.
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 1, 2024
The aid flowing into Gaza is nowhere near enough.
We all need to do more. And the United States will do more.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby highlighted the need for alternative routes for aid, stating that multiple airdrops would take place over several weeks. While airdrops offer a faster delivery method, Kirby stressed that they would complement ground shipments, reported Washington Times.
The first airdrop is expected to consist of food, likely Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) used by the U.S. military. The operation will be a challenging military endeavor requiring careful planning to ensure the safety of both Gazan civilians and U.S. military personnel.
Despite the urgency prompted by Thursday's incident, the White House asserted that the idea of airdrops had been in the works for some time. The U.S. will continue to push for the opening of additional crossings into Gaza to facilitate aid delivery, aiming to address the dire shortages of food, water, and medicine faced by the residents in the region.
