Israel-Hamas war: US airdrops fresh round of humanitarian aid to Gaza; 36,800 meals delivered

The United States military on Tuesday (March 5) carried out a fresh round of airdropof humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, delivering over 36,800 meals. This effort, as per Reuters, comes as the Joe Biden administration pushedfor increased aid access during discussions with top Israeli officials in Washington.

Air dropped aid

The situation in Gaza is dire, with over 2.3 million people displaced due to the ongoing Israeli offensive, which is supported by the US. Already there are reports of people dying of malnutrition. As per the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, at least 15 children died in one hospital alone.

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America made its first airdrop to Gaza on Saturday. The humanitarian aid was dropped over the coast of southwestern Gaza.

While air-dropped aid helps, US officials, as per Reuters, have warned that it is costly and not enough to meet the scale of the crisis.

The Biden administration is advocating for increased land access to provide humanitarian assistance.

Matt Miller, the US State Department spokesperson, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "horrific",with aid supplies dwindling to almost nothing over the past month.

Recently, during a meeting at the Pentagon, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin urged Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war cabinet, to support increased humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza.

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Speaking of the meeting, Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said: "Secretary (Austin) expressed strong concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and requested Minister Gantz’s support in enabling more humanitarian assistance and distribution into Gaza."

While Gantz did not comment at the Pentagon, he described his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as "very good".

Aid supplies running out

As per Reuters, aid supplies in Gaza have been sharply curtailed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and have dwindled to almost nothingin the past month.

In a post on X, President Joe Biden reiterated the US' commitment to providing aid to Gaza, and said his country is "committed to pulling out every stop to get more aid to those in Gaza who desperately need it."

"We won't stand by. We won't let up," he added.

As per the report, the United States has repeatedly urged Israel to do more to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli assault launched in response to theHamas attacks.

There is interest in establishing a maritime corridor for aid delivery to Gaza, however, logistical challenges remain, including how aid would be facilitated without a US military presence on the ground.

Pentagon spokesperson Ryder indicated that there are currently "no plans" to deploy US forces in Gaza for aid distribution purposes.

(With inputs from agencies)