Three Central Air Force aircraft dropped 66 packages containing about 38,000 pieces of food in Gaza, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity before a public announcement.
Thursday’s attack killed at least 115 Palestinians and wounded hundreds more as they looked for help. the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said.
Israel says many of the dead were crushed to death or crushed to death by soldiers in a chaotic rush for food aid. Israel also says that its soldiers fired warning shots as the crowd came closer.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Friday that the airdrop was planned to safely deliver emergency humanitarian aid and that they would consider conducting multiple airdrops in the coming weeks.
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Biden has tried to pressure Israel to reduce Palestinian civilian casualties and allow aid into the Gaza Strip. But it has also maintained military support for that traditional ally, the United States.
The C-130 cargo aircraft is a military aircraft that is widely used to deliver aid to remote locations due to its ability to land in harsh environments and its cargo capacity.
A C-130 can carry up to 42,000 pounds of cargo on giant straps that can be safely dropped from the back of the aircraft.
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