The U.S. military has resumed humanitarian airdrops in Gaza, delivering over 10 metric tons of rations to northern Gaza on Sunday. This comes after a brief suspension of such operations due to ongoing Israeli military activities in the region.
The renewed airdrops aim to address the acute humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has endured eight months of conflict resulting in severe shortages of essential supplies. The U.S. has opted for air and sea routes to deliver aid as land-based entry points remain delayed by Israeli restrictions.
According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Sunday’s airdrop provided “life-saving humanitarian assistance” and is part of an ongoing effort to alleviate the suffering in Gaza. “To date, the U.S. has airdropped more than 1,050 metric tons of humanitarian assistance,” CENTCOM reported, in addition to aid delivered via a temporary pier connected to Gaza’s coast.
The Pentagon had previously suspended airdrops in late May due to Israeli military operations and adverse weather conditions. Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, Deputy Commander of CENTCOM, mentioned that the suspension was necessary because of “kinetic operations happening in the north” of Gaza but anticipated that the air deliveries would soon recommence.
The latest airdrop occurred shortly after the resumption of aid deliveries via the coastal pier, which had been damaged by storms last month. The pier underwent repairs at a nearby port before being reattached to facilitate aid shipments.
Gaza is currently experiencing its deadliest conflict to date. The hostilities escalated following an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, primarily civilians, according to Israeli official figures. In response, Israel launched a retaliatory offensive that has claimed the lives of at least 37,084 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
