UK takes part in largest international aid airdrop into Gaza
The UK has taken part in the largest international airdrop of aid into Gaza on a single day.
Nine nations and 14 aircraft joined in the operation, delivering essential food, water and other supplies to civilians.
Over a two week period, the Royal Air Force has dropped over 53 tonnes of aid into Gaza, as the UK works to ramp up deliveries to Gaza by land, sea and air.
The RAF participated in the airdrop to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
An RAF A400M flew from Amman, Jordan to airdrop over 10 tonnes of aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water and rice, along the northern coastline of Gaza.
The A400M Atlas and crew are usually based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The prospect of famine in Gaza is real and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians.
“This is the sixth RAF airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tonnes of aid, including water, flour and baby formula.
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“After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow. We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists, who have failed the people of Gaza and hide behind civilians.
“This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released and the aid must flood in.”
The Ministry of Defence says today’s international airdrop is part of UK efforts to provide vital humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and follows the announcement of a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza.
This includes the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to the Eastern Mediterranean as well as up to £9.7million for aid deliveries.
The maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid delivered directly to Gaza, via a new US temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has now agreed to open.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “Led by our Jordanian partners, we have joined nations around the world to mark the end of Ramadan by getting life-saving aid into Gaza.
“Thousands of people in desperate need will benefit from this united effort.
“The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more.
“We continue to push Israel as hard as we can to get more aid across the border and delivered throughout the region.
“Words must turn into action – this is essential to avoid an even more severe humanitarian crisis.”
Sunday marked 6 months since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel which sparked the war. And it’s almost a week since several British aid workers were mistakenly killed by an Israeli airstrike.