the United States airdropped 38,000 meals into Gaza
some progress, I guess, but it’s not enough.
the airdrop on March 2, 2024, came two days after 100+ Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces opened fire on desperate, starving civilians in what was dubbed the “flour massacre.”
this is part of an US attempt to aid Palestinians as Gaza faces starvation. three US air force cargo planes dropped 38,000 meals — no water or medical supplies — in southwest Gaza. but cargo planes can’t carry as much as aid convoy trucks. and we’ve seen the tragedy that happened.
aid groups have criticized this plan, and they are absolutely right. they’ve said the focus should be forcing Israel to open up more ports and entryways into Gaza instead of airdropping because trucks can carry way more supplies, like I’ve mentioned.
there are also several drawbacks to airdropping supplies: it’s inefficient, expensive, and doesn’t provide enough aid. there are 1.5+ million refugees in Rafah. 38,000 meals can only provide for ~0.253% of the refugees. it’s not even 1%.
but the Gazans need everything they can get right now. airdrops, however inefficient they are, are essential for Gazans to survive.
sources underneath the cut: