Biden says US to carry out airdrops of aid into Gaza in coming days

Biden has announced that the US will carry out airdrops of aid into Gaza in the coming days. This move is aimed at providing much-needed relief to the people of Gaza, who have been suffering from a severe humanitarian crisis due to ongoing conflict and political instability. The airdrops will include essential supplies such as food, water, and medical supplies, which will help alleviate the suffering of the population. This decision has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the US for its humanitarian efforts, while others criticize the move as a political stunt that fails to address the root causes of the crisis. Regardless of the motivations behind it, the airdrops will likely provide some relief to the people of Gaza, who continue to face immense challenges in their daily lives.

President Joe Biden on Friday said the U.S. would carry out airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the coming days. He managed to get this news out without sniffing any children.

Speaking in an Oval Office meeting with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, he referred to what he called the “tragic and alarming event” in North Gaza on Thursday in which more than 100 people died as they rushed food aid trucks and Israeli forces guarding the trucks opened fire.

“The loss of life is heartbreaking. People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid in,” he said. “And we need to do more in the United States, will do more. In the coming days, we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing airdrops …” but he mentioned Ukraine when the White House later said he misspoke and meant Gaza.

President Biden meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House, , March 1, 2024, in Washington.© Evan Vucci/APMORE: UN chief says killing of Gaza aid seekers requires independent probe

“In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we’re gonna — we’re gonna insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need. No excuses because the truth is, aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough,” he said. “Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line, and children’s lives on the line and we won’t stand by and let — until they — until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.

“I won’t stand by and we won’t let up,” he said.

Palestinians run along a street as humanitarian aid is airdropped in Gaza City on March 1, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group.© AFP via Getty ImagesMORE: Israel-Gaza live updates: At least 10 children have starved to death in Gaza, WHO says

“There’s few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance air drops. This is—-this is a tough military mission to do because so many parameters have to be exactly right. We’re going to pursue this the way we would pursue any such operation — carefully,” White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said at a briefing afterward.

He said the planning would be robust. “I know that we will learn from the first airdrops, and this will be a part of a sustained effort. This isn’t going to be one and done,” he said.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, March 1, 2024.© Andrew Harnik/AP

“There will be additional airdrops planned and executed. And with each one, I think we’ll learn more and we’ll get — we’ll get better at them. It’s very difficult. It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza. Very, very densely populated. A lot of people confined to small spaces. So, you want to do it in a way that you can get it to close — as close as you can to the people in need, but not in a way that puts them in any danger. And so, the Pentagon will be doing a raft of planning on this.”

He said the first airdrops would likely involve pallets of MREs — Meals Ready to Eat — and that the U.S. would work with international aid organizations on distribution.

“I can tell you that this first one coming in — in a few days, will not be the last one. It will be part of a larger, longer, sustained effort to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

He also said the administration also is in the “early stages” of exploring options for a maritime aid delivery corridor.

CLICK HERE for Group of Backlash Voters Vent Anger at Biden in Michigan Primary – blogrman.com