Israel-led operation airdrops aid, medical equipment to Gaza

JERUSALEM/GAZA, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Some 160 packages of food and medical equipment have been airdropped into the southern Gaza Strip and the Jordanian field hospital in Khan Younis in an Israel-led multilateral operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France, and the United States took part in the airdrop operation coordinated by U.S. and Israeli defense apparatuses, according to the statement.

The packages were dropped over the past two days to about 17 locations along the southern Gazan coastline, including food, medical equipment, and fuel supplies for the operation of the Jordanian Field Hospital.

The Israeli army released photos and videos of the airdrops in southern Gaza.

On Tuesday, thousands of Palestinians in southern Gaza flocked to the seashore to see planes dropping off food packages, some of which landed on roofs of residential houses, while some others were dropped into the sea, according to eyewitnesses.

Civilians in Gaza have been struggling with severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel due to continued Israeli strikes and siege upon the enclave since its military offensive against Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.