US military planes airdrop humanitarian aid over Gaza's Rafah
The U.S. military on Saturday carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza, two U.S. officials said.
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The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the airdrop was carried out using three C-130 planes. One of the officials said more than 35,000 meals were airdropped.
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 to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity before a public announcement.
The White House has said the airdrops will be a sustained effort, and that Israel was supportive of the airdrops. The aid will be coordinated with Jordan, which has also conducted airdrops to deliver food to Gaza.
The move comes two days after more than 100 Palestinians who had surged to pull goods off an aid convoy were crushed to death in the clutter or run over by aid trucks.
Palestinians swarm humanitarian aid trucks in crush that left over 100 people dead
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Friday that the airdrops were being planned to deliver emergency humanitarian assistance in a safe way to people on the ground.
Other countries including France, Egypt and Jordan have carried out airdrops of aid into Gaza.
The C-130 cargo plane is a widely used military jet to deliver aid to remote places due to its ability to land in austere environments and cargo capacity.
A C-130 can airlift as much as 42,000 pounds of cargo and its crews know how to rig the cargo, which sometimes can include even vehicles, onto massive pallets that can be safely dropped out of the back of the aircraft.
Air Force loadmasters secure the bundles onto pallets with netting that is rigged for release in the back of a C-130, and then crews release it with a parachute when the aircraft reaches the intended delivery zone.
The Air Force's C-130 has been used in years past to airdrop humanitarian into Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti and other locations and the airframe is used in an annual multi-national "Operation Christmas Drop" that airdrops pallets of toys, supplies, nonperishable food and fishing supplies to remote locations in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.