IRIA News

A humanitarian airlift operation led by the Jordanian Armed Forces has carried out the most extensive supply airdrop for Gaza since the escalation of conflict between Hamas and Israel last year.

This mission was conducted on Eid Al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday to commemorate the end of the month of Ramadan, and involved 14 shipments of food, clothing, sweets, and toys for children.

Jordan, along with eight other partner nations, delivered aid to the northern and southern areas of the Gaza Strip in two separate operations. In the initial wave, alongside aircraft from Jordan, a joint fleet from Indonesia, the UAE, and Egypt participated.

The first operation was conducted using 13 aircraft from several different countries, carrying vital supplies such as food, clothing, and relief items. This was the 260th airdrop conducted by the Jordanian Armed Forces since the beginning of Israeli aggression against Gaza, including 77 airdrops conducted solely by Jordan. Moreover, Jordan is gearing up to send a second significant ground aid convoy consisting of around 100 trucks to Gaza.

The subsequent shipment on the same day included another Jordanian aircraft and eight cargo planes from the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, the U.S., and France. A significant portion of the supplies was provided by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization, supplemented by contributions from international collaborators.

We are doing everything we can to get more aid to civilians in Gaza as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.

We need more road crossings and Ashdod Port open for humanitarian aid.

Working with Jordan, @RoyalAirForce has air dropped more food supplies to reach those in need. pic.twitter.com/SjlYfIEsJq

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) April 4, 2024

The British government deployed an A400M Atlas transport aircraft from Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire to conduct the airdrop mission. This aircraft transported over 10 tons (10,000 kilograms) of aid, raising the nation’s overall contribution to 53 tons (53,000 kilograms) of supplies sent on six flights to Gaza, including one in early April.

“After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow,” a statement from the UK Ministry of Defense said. “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.”

“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,” the statement added.

The U.S. Air Force assisted with four C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, delivering over 50,600 American meal-equivalent food packages to the city. With this recent delivery, the country’s humanitarian contribution to the strip amounts to approximately 797 tons (723,000 kilograms).

“The humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering,” the U.S. Central Command said. “These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow-on aerial deliveries.”

Turkiye restricts exports to Israel

Around the same time this week, Turkiye announced that it would restrict the export of 54 items to Israel, including iron, marble, steel, cement, aluminum, brick, fertilizer, construction equipment and products, aviation fuel, and more.

The move comes in response to mounting domestic criticism over maintaining trade relations with Israel during its conflict with Hamas. Israel’s foreign minister responded by threatening to halt the import of additional Turkish products.

During the initial five months of the conflict, Turkey’s exports to Israel dropped by 28% annually, totaling $1.9 billion, according to figures from the Turkish Statistics Office. Manufactured goods, including construction materials, constitute the largest segment, comprising one-third of the $714 million shipped during the first two months of the year.

In 2023, Israel’s total gross import of goods amounted to $91 billion, with $4.6 billion originating from Turkey, positioning Turkey as the fifth-largest supplier to the country.