Military Planes From Four Countries Drop Humanitarian Aid on War-Torn Gaza Strip

Amid the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip, various air forces participated in a joint effort to drop aid parcels by parachute along Gaza's coast. According to the Kingdom of Jordan, this operation was a direct effort to help needy people.

Joint Aid Drop

Five military aircraft, of which three were from Jordan and one each from Egypt and France, took part in this massive effort to drop aid packages into Gaza. This operation occurred when American-led talks for a ceasefire were being held in Qatar. Jordan had sought support from its Western allies to become a center for dispatching increased supplies to Gaza.

The Jordanian army stated that the five aircraft flew low to drop the various aid parcels containing medicine, fuel, and food. The planes reportedly took off from the King Abdullah II Air Base in Zarqa, northeast of Jordan's capital, Amman. King Abdullah II was at the base before the planes took off.

According to the Jordanian Army, this was meant to "affirm Jordan's continued standing with the Palestinian brothers." Jordan's air force has been a key supplier of aid to Gaza, doing so since November. These efforts have also seen involvement from French and Dutch air force planes.

The French Foreign Ministry stated that the absolute humanitarian emergency in Gaza required the opening of a land corridor from Jordan. Such a corridor could become a complementary aid center for Gaza. Earlier this week, a French Air Force C-130 and three Jordanian aircraft dropped aid parcels along the Gaza coast. France dropped 2.2 tons of food parcels and hygiene supplies.

Brigadier General Mustafa Al-Hiyari of the Jordanian Army noted that the French involvement showed the "important role of the kingdom [of Jordan] in unifying international efforts [on aid for Gaza]."

While Jordan did not specify the aircraft used in the operation, it is most reasonable to infer that the Royal Jordanian Air Force utilized its fleet of C-130s as well. The Royal Jordanian Air Force has seven total C-130s in service. According to the Jordanian army, four such aircraft carry about 50 tons of aid.

More Aid Required

According to the United Nations' World Food Program, 950 tonnes of aid would feed roughly 488,000 people in Gaza. This number only accounts for one-fifth of Gaza's population being fed for one week. Therefore, more aid is required, which is something that Jordan's King Abdullah II has highlighted recently.

In a recent meeting with the United States Government and President Biden, the King noted that more aid must be accounted for in Gaza. He spoke with Samantha Power, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator, who said that aid to Gaza must be doubled.

Furthermore, he stated that world powers should put more pressure on Israel to allow more aid to enter Gaza. Israel has and continues to maintain various restrictions on assistance to the Palestinian enclave, something that Jordan has repeatedly called for the lifting of. While no plans for future aid deliveries have been confirmed, Jordan hopes it will continue to receive help delivering more aid to Gaza.