Egypt, UAE drop humanitarian, relief aid into Gaza on 1st day of Ramadan

CAIRO – 11 March 2024: UAE and Egypt have implemented the eighth drop of humanitarian and relief aid on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, by aircraft of the UAE and Egyptian Air Forces into the northern Gaza Strip, according to the Joint Operations Command of the UAE Ministry of Defense, Monday.

It was added that this drop comes to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians as a result of the ongoing war and to help them overcome the difficult circumstances they are going through.

According to the Emirati newspaper, Al Bayan, the eighth drop was carried out by joint crews from both countries, via two planes carrying 42 tons of food and medical aid.

Which brings the total aid dropped since the launch of operation “Birds of Charity” to more than 353 tons of food and relief aid since the biggening of the operation.

Egypt’s Armed Forces’ Spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez announced on Sunday that the Egyptian Air Forces, as part of a global alliance for airdropping humanitarian aid to Gaza, have maintained their efforts to deliver aid to affected areas in the northern part of the strip.

Collaborating with Jordan and several friendly countries within the alliance, the aid was airdropped to northern Gaza, in conjunction with aid deliveries by Egyptian and Emirati military transport aircraft departing from Arish airport.

This joint effort between Egypt and the UAE forms an airbridge to Gaza, facilitating the delivery of "huge quantities" of aid, including food and other urgent relief materials, according to the spokesman.

Last week, the spokesman announced Egypt's participation in the global alliance alongside Jordan, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, to airdrop aid to Gaza.

The first humanitarian aid airdrop by Egypt took place on Tuesday, February 27, in coordination with Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, and France, targeting areas in northern Gaza that are difficult to access by ground means.

Egypt has reiterated that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza remains open for the delivery of aid.

Egyptian officials, however, have repeatedly placed blame on Israel for hindering aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Abu Salem crossings.