The United States recently conducted an airdrop in Gaza, dropping 66 bundles of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) containing about 38,000 meals. The ground delivery of food will also continue, with the airdrops being a supplementary measure. The decision to conduct the airdrops was made by President Joe Biden in line with his promise to increase U.S. involvement in the Gaza crisis.
However, some critics, like Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, believe that Biden is making this move due to political concerns rather than genuine humanitarian motives. According to Axios, Biden fears losing the Michigan election and is basing his foreign policy decisions on this fear. Others, like Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, suggest that aid should only be sent after the war is over, as sending aid now could potentially help Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza.
The airdrop came just two days after a chaotic situation erupted in Gaza City when aid was delivered through a convoy. According to the Times of Israel, chaos broke out and 118 people were killed. Hamas blamed Israeli troops for shooting civilians, while the Israel Defense Forces claim that most of the casualties occurred when people were trampled by the crowd and that soldiers only fired at those who posed a threat.
As the situation in Gaza remains dire, the Israel government is considering new approaches for aid delivery to ensure that it is conducted in a more orderly manner. A U.S. official, who chose to remain anonymous, revealed that the aid distribution process has been complicated by lawlessness in Gaza. Gangs in the area have been stealing aid and then charging exorbitant prices for it, causing further suffering for the civilians.
JUST IN: The United States has dropped its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza as millions are facing starvation.
According to NBC News, three military C-130 planes dropped a total of 66 pallets with 38,000 meals.
Aid organizations however, say the airdrop is… pic.twitter.com/4YZ9i5KhbT
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 3, 2024
In a recent interview with Fox News, Israeli government representative Tal Heinrich highlighted the efforts made by Israel to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. She deemed it as an “unprecedented” effort in modern warfare.
When asked about the tragic incident involving civilians trampled during the aid delivery on Thursday, Heinrich pinned the blame on Hamas. She stated that Hamas wants increased civilian suffering in Gaza in order to put pressure on Israel to stop their military operations. However, Israel is determined to continue their operations until Hamas is defeated.
The airdrop of food in Gaza is a major step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region. While some criticize this move and question the motives behind it, the ongoing war and lawlessness in Gaza have made it difficult for aid to reach the civilians.