France will air-drop aid into Gaza in coming days, a diplomatic source quoted by French news agency AFP said on Tuesday. The move comes as UN-backed experts warned the Israeli-blockaded Palestinian territory is slipping into famine.
Concern has escalated in the past week about hunger in Gaza after more than 21 months of war.
"France will carry out air drops in the coming days to meet the most essential and urgent needs of the civilian population in Gaza," a diplomatic source said, adding the "greatest care" would be taken to protect Gazans during the operations.
But the airborne operations were not intended as substitutes for more efficient deliveries by road, the source added, urging "the immediate opening by Israel of land crossing points".
"France is also working on deliveries by land, by far the most effective solution to enable the massive and unhindered delivery of humanitarian goods that the population desperately needs," the source said.
Aid groups have warned that "mass starvation" is spreading among the territory's more than two million residents.
More than 110 aid and human rights groups denounce Gaza 'mass starvation'
Israel has in recent days allowed more aid trucks into Gaza but aid agencies say Israeli authorities could still do more to speed security checks and open more border posts.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Germany would work with Jordan to airlift humanitarian aid to Gaza, coordinating this "very closely with France and the United Kingdom".
(with AFP)
