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Jordan, UAE airdrop 25 tons of aid to Gaza for first time in months
Two Jordanian Air Force C-130 Planes and one Emirati Plane dropped a total of 25 tonnes of aid to Gaza, with first airdrop in months.
Amid Gaza's peaking hunger crisis, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday airdropped 25 tons of aid into the Gaza Strip, marking the first aid marks the first airdrop in months.
A Jordan official said that the air drops were not a substitute for delivery by land, reported Reuters.
Two Jordanian Air Force C-130 Planes and one Emirati Plane dropped a total of 25 tonnes of aid to Gaza, according to Jordanian official sources. This is done to reduce the hunger crisis in Gaza.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it will implement a daily “tactical pause” in three areas of Gaza, including the Muwasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City.
This ‘tactical pause’ halts military operations from 10 am to 8 pm local time starting Sunday until further notice, according to an AP news agency report. Along with this, the Israeli military also said that it had begun dropping aid into Palestinian territory after allegations of using starvation as a weapon against civilians.
As per the Gaza health ministry, 127 people, including 85 children, have died due to malnutrition since the war began nearly two years ago. More than 100 NGOs have warned this week of "mass starvation".
Meanwhile, Israel has faced International criticism after the crisis intensified following a total blockade that was imposed by Israel in March. In late May, Israel began allowing a trickle of aid, but UN and other humanitarian agencies have accused Israel of imposing excessive restrictions with tight control on road access.
Egypt aid trucks enter Gaza
Aid trucks from Egypt also began entering Gaza from Egypt on Sunday after the ‘tactical pause’ announced by Israel, AFP reported. The Egyptian state-linked media also had confirmed earlier that the movement of convoys, along with sharing footage of trucks near the border area.
However, trucks crossing the Rafah border cannot enter Gaza directly as the Palestinian side of the crossing was seized by the Israeli military last year and has been badly damaged. To enter Gaza, these trucks will have to drive to the nearby Kerem Shalom (Karam Abu Salem) crossing, which is controlled by Israel.
(With inputs from agencies)
