IDF to resume aid airdrops in Gaza
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said they would resume aid airdrops in Gaza on Saturday as reports of starvation in the region emerge and countries seek to quell hunger through humanitarian efforts.
“The aid airdrop operation will be carried out in cooperation with international organizations and the IDF, led by COGAT [Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories] and the Air Force. The airdrop will include seven aid pallets containing flour, sugar, and canned food, which will be provided by international organizations,” the IDF wrote in a Saturday statement on X translated by Grok.
“Additionally, it has been decided that humanitarian corridors will be designated to enable the safe movement of UN [United Nations] and aid organizations’ convoys for the delivery of food and medicine to the population,” the IDF added.
Israeli officials said more than 250 aid trucks were unloaded this week for collection by the UN and international organizations while resources from approximately 600 trucks were distributed throughout the Gaza Strip.
The announcement comes as more than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that the Israeli government is pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, amid deaths caused by continuous air strikes.
On Friday, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British aid would soon be provided through air drops while teams from the country work to evacuate children from Gaza who need critical medical assistance. Starmer said they would be brought to the U.K. for specialist medical treatment.
However, despite numerous reports from credible organizations, the IDF has rejected the starvation narrative as one pegged by opposing forces.
“The IDF emphasizes that there is no starvation in Gaza; this is a false campaign by the Hamas terrorist organization,” it said in a Saturday statement.
“The responsibility for distributing food to the population in Gaza lies with the UN and international aid organizations, and it is expected that the UN and international organizations will improve the effectiveness of aid distribution and ensure that the aid does not reach Hamas.”
They concluded the comments by emphasizing they would not stop fighting in the region.