One of two Palestinians walks between rubble in the town of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip Photo: AFP Palestinians walk between rubble in the town of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip Photo: AFP
When exactly this air delivery will take place has not yet been announced. The drop in humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, but US officials interviewed by Portal also said this could happen in the coming days.
“Innocent people were trapped in a terrible war, unable to feed their families, and you saw the reaction when they tried to get help. We have to do more. The United States will join our friends in Jordan and others to airdrop aid.” “We will go to Gaza and seek to open other avenues for humanitarian assistance, including the possibility of a maritime corridor,” Biden said in an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House.
The case generated widespread international response, including an emergency closeddoor meeting of the U.N. Security Council at which the U.S. vetoed a council statement that would blame Israel for the deaths. (Read more below)
More than a hundred people die while distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip
In addition to the humanitarian aid announcement, Biden also said he was working on a ceasefire agreement in the war between Israel and Hamas so more humanitarian aid could get to Gaza. The President further added that The aid reaching Gaza is not enough.
Humanitarian aid arriving in Gaza has been carried out by air in recent days due to difficulties in delivering aid by land. Satellite images showed aid trucks lined up on the EgyptGaza border in Rafah. (See image below)
2 of 2 trucks carrying humanitarian aid packages line up in Rafah on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, waiting to enter. — Photo: Reproduction/Planet Labs PBC Trucks carrying humanitarian aid packages line up in Rafah on the EgyptGaza border, waiting to enter. — Photo: Reproduction/Planet Labs PBC
David Deptula, a retired U.S. Air Force general, told Portal that airdrops were not without challenges but were possible. Deptula commanded the nofly zone over northern Iraq.
“It is something that is completely within the scope of his mission. There are many detailed challenges. But there is nothing insurmountable,” said the retired general.
As people eat animal food and even cacti to survive, and doctors say children are dying in hospitals from malnutrition and dehydration, the United Nations said it faces “overwhelming obstacles” in providing aid.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 576,000 people in Gaza a quarter of the region's population are one step away from famine.
US vetoes UN statement blaming Israel
The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting later on Thursday to address the deaths of civilians in Gaza. The meeting took place behind closed doors.
According to the Associated Press, Arab countries tried to drum up support for a statement blaming Israeli forces for the deaths of Palestinians while distributing food and humanitarian aid.
After the end of the meeting, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour stated this 14 of the 15 council members supported the statement.
Civilian deaths during food distribution
According to the Hamascontrolled local health ministry, more than a hundred people died this Thursday (29) while distributing food and humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. The facility reports 115 deaths and 760 injuries. The UN called for an immediate ceasefire.
The Hamas government accused Israeli soldiers of arranging the distribution of the opening fire on Palestinians. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said only that there had been a “pushing and running” that resulted in deaths and injuries.
“We went to get food and they started shooting,” said a Palestinian who was at the scene. “We were surprised by Israeli tanks who opened fire,” said another. See reports in the video below.
“We went to get food and flour and they started shooting at us,” Palestinian said