US military aircraft airdrop thousands of meals into Gaza in emergency humanitarian aid operation

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Sat Mar 2, 2024, 12:58 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

Updated 11:34 AM EST, March 2, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military C-130 cargo planes dropped food in pallets over Gaza on Saturday in the opening stage of an emergency humanitarian assistance authorized by President Joe Biden after more than 100 Palestinians who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST (3:30 p.m. local). The bundles were dropped in southwest Gaza, on the beach along the territory’s Mediterranean coast, one U.S. official said. The airdrop was coordinated with the Royal Jordanian Air Force, which said it had two food airdrops Saturday in northern Gaza and has conducted several rounds in recent months.

“The combined operation included U.S. Air Force and RJAF C-130 aircraft and respective Army Soldiers specialized in aerial delivery of supplies, built bundles and ensured the safe drop of food aid,” U.S. Central Command said in a post on “X”, formerly known as Twitter.

The airdrop is expected to be the first of many, U.S. Central Command said.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-airdrop-humanitarian-assistance-f8bc071193f89906abf21478bc70a084

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Article updated.

Original article -

Updated 9:43 AM EST, March 2, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military C-130 cargo planes on Saturday dropped food in pallets over Gaza, three U.S. officials said, two days after more than 100 Palestinians who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

Three planes from Air Forces Central dropped 66 bundles containing about 38,000 meals into Gaza at 8:30 a.m. EST, according to two of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity before a public announcement.

The airdrop is expected to be the first of many announced by President Joe Biden on Friday. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza.

At least 115 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more wounded in the Thursday attack as they scrambled for aid, the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said. Israel says many of the dead were trampled in a chaotic crush for the food aid, and its troops fired warning shots after the crowd moved toward them in a threatening way.

[mcar]

1. Despite the naysayers,

I think this is a good move.

[angrychair]

23. From a PR stance

Maybe a little but dropping 35,000 of which all are not likely to be usable as some will be damaged in the landing, if people can actually reach them and if they have the means to use them.
Now we just have to help feed *checks notes* just 1.2 million more people
Just need 35 of these air drops a day, 7 days a week. Most expensive Uber eats delivery in history.

[mcar]

25. It's not an all or nothing endeavor

[angrychair]

28. It is

For starving Palestinians

[mcar]

29. So they should get no food if it's not all the food they need?

That seems a bit shortsighted.

[angrychair]

33. Not the greatest solution

The point is that if you are going to do big lifts like this than commit to it and do the big lift. Feeding a fraction, just 3% of the refugees, is not really saving them.
Yes, something is better than nothing but 3% is pretty damn close to nothing. We need to do more to save as many as we can.

[SoFlaBro]

31. That is very short sighted. Feed everyone or feed no one. Life isn't black and white.

[Happy Hoosier]

35. This kept my 10-year-old mother alive....

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/berlin-airlift

[angrychair]

38. There is zero parallel

Between what we are doing in Gaza and what was done in the Berlin Airlift.

What I am actually advocating for is a Berlin Airlift type response but that is not what is happening.

[Happy Hoosier]

40. I think there are parallels.

And I would support a larger airlift effort. But something is better than nothing.

[Happy Hoosier]

41. I disagree

And I would support a larger airlift effort. But something is better than nothing.

[ancianita]

2. Thank you, Commander-in-Chief Biden!

You can't fight Israel's war FOR it, and you can't get Netanyahu to provide safe humanitarian aid, so you solve this problem in the smart and compassionate way Bibi won't.

[ramen]

3. I am really glad we are doing this aid drop,

but calling this a solution is a stretch.

[ancianita]

7. "A stretch?" So is expecting perfection in all areas of a defensive war against whoever would genocide your whole nation

[mysteryowl]

4. I'm wondering what the additional million people

will do? 38,000 meals sounds like a drop in the bucket. Did it create rioting?

I did not read all of it, so maybe the article tells us which 38,000 people will eat one meal.

Isn't food-aid bags of rice and beans to sustain many people over time? But, these folks don't have any water to cook it in, so hence the meals.

They need a lot more!

[ancianita]

11. Even if you

"didn't read all of it", why would you expect a list of who got meals. Gaza is a war zone. Gazans there were warned Oct 9 to evacuate, a week to ten days in advance of an Israeli invasion, and then again every single day of last December. Both times, they had 12 mi. to walk in order to live. But now the humanitarian aid is somehow all on the defenders and Biden?

Maybe you missed this part.

The airdrop is expected to be the first of many announced by President Joe Biden on Friday. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza.

Fixed that for you, with a bonus reminder.

[mysteryowl]

16. That is good news. I had not read that.

[Quakerfriend]

13. Good point about the inability to cook without

water.

I hope they are dropping ‘real’ food- unlike in Puerto Rico when they dropped Skittles & slim Jims, among other junk food.

[Happy Hoosier]

36. They are dropping pork-free MREs. NT

[Gaugamela]

5. American Exceptionalism: we feed them lunch while we slaughter their children. Our version

of bread and circuses.

[Orrex]

6. Now, now

We’re not slaughtering them; our regional surrogate is slaughtering them, with the help of the preposterous amount of military aid that we provide.

[DownriverDem]

9. Do you understand

that your view could help trump win?

[Orrex]

15. LOL. Sure.

The problem isn’t that the US gives billions in military aid to help fund Netanyahu’s murderous revenge quest; the problem is that some anonymous poster on the internet pointed it out.

[Earth-shine]

30. Not facing reality might be worse for the election.

We need both Israel supporters and Palestine supporters (and everyone else on that spectrum) to vote blue.

If Trump wins, there's no hope for Gaza and Ukraine.

Food drops are a good thing.

[IronLionZion]

18. There are people who want them all to starve in addition to the slaughter

[DownriverDem]

8. I"m worried

I"ve heard the uncommitted think Biden is worst than trump. This makes me very worried.

[mysteryowl]

10. Just remember,

This year will be the worst in history for misinformation, fakes, lies, etc. I think most of the stuff we read will not be true. Hold scrutiny over everything you hear and read, including main media.

[enid602]

26. Disinformation

You really have to use your eyes, ears and discretion right now.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

22. They have a short memory if that's the case

[Happy Hoosier]

37. Welp... they'll FAFO, apparently.

This country has far too many f***in' morons....

[Oopsie Daisy]

17. Oh my! The negativity in this thread *

[IronLionZion]

20. There's not much positive to say about the situation

dropping food aid is among the rare positive developments there.

[TeamProg]

19. Good move, despite what others may say. nt

[Aussie105]

21. By air, by sea, by land . . .

By any means possible.

Feed the needy, and send a message the US doesn't approve of the Israeli action.

[moondust]

24. BBC reporter called it a photo op.

[DiverDave]

27. About fucking time.

EOM

[Aussie105]

32. Next steps:

Step up the food delivery.

Start including water, medical supplies, tents - whatever is needed.

Encourage other countries to join in on the humanitarian effort.

Cut back on the weapons and money flow from the USA to Israel.

Tell Bibi the unquestioning support for Israel from the USA and the rest of the world is now being questioned.

[FlyingPiggy]

34. And this is how you lead. God Bless President Biden.

#RidinWithBiden

[Hekate]

39. May children be fed

[electric_blue68]

42. I wish it would have been sooner, but I'm glad they're doing it, and will increase the effort...

as a poster said other medical supplies, tents, possibly blankets depending how cold it gets at night etc.

While many in teens upward support Hamas - the babies, toddlers are innocent.
Even older kids & tweens are mostly learning from those around them; while not innocent they're not yet exposed to getting (if possible, can like a group like Seeds of Peace [who bring kids, teens from both sides in war together] be found on the Internet?) other points of view.