Photos: Egyptian, Emirati military aircraft conduct airdrops of aid to inaccessible areas in Gaza

CAIRO – March 23, 2024: Egyptian and Emirati aircraft carried out airdrops of humanitarian aid to hard-to-reach regions in the Gaza Strip on Friday and Saturday, Egypt's Armed Forces' Spokesman Gharib Abdel Hafez announced.

He added that the Egyptian Air Forces have intensified their efforts in collaboration with Jordan and other countries as part of their global alliance to airdrop large quantities of aid in northern Gaza during Ramadan.

 

In March, Egypt declared its participation in the global alliance, which includes Jordan, the United States, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, to provide airdropped 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.

The operations target different areas in northern Gaza that are challenging to access through ground means.

Cairo has consistently emphasized that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza remains open to facilitate the delivery of aid.

However, Egyptian officials have repeatedly accused Israel of obstructing aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Abu Salem crossings.

 

During a ministerial meeting in Cairo on Thursday, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates jointly called for the opening of all border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip to enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The need for aid in Gaza has grown increasingly urgent, with the United Nations estimating that at least a quarter of the strip's population is on the brink of famine.