Humanitarian assistance from England to Gaza was dropped from the air for the first time since the beginning of the war in the northern Gaza Strip, which is under heavy Israeli attack. Following an agreement between Britain and Yemen, aid was provided to the region. Four tons of relief supplies consisting of medicines, food, and fuel were sent to Gaza on Wednesday by a Jordanian Air Force aircraft. The packages were parachuted to the Al-Hava Valley Hospital in northern Gaza. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron stated that the aid would help keep the hospital running. So far, Britain has only sent aid to Gaza by land and sea. It is impossible to reach the northern Gaza Strip, which has suffered extensive destruction after the war lasting for about five months. The United Nations World Food Programme announced that it had suspended deliveries to this region due to the violence.
Need for urgent assistance
Israel’s military presence in the region continues intensively. The majority of the population has been pushed southward. However, an estimated 300,000 Palestinians are still living in the northern Gaza Strip with little food and water. The United Nations has been warning of a famine in the region for months.
Britain’s aid measures
The British delivery from Jordan includes fuel, essential medical equipment, and supply packages for patients and medical staff. The Royal Jordanian Air Force Hercules plane made two flights over the Mediterranean and landed four tons of relief supplies in the northern Gaza Strip shortly after sunset. GPS devices were also attached to the pallets on the parachutes to ensure that the aid reached the hospital. The British Foreign Office announced earlier this week that an agreement with Jordan had been signed for the delivery of aid worth 1 million pounds (1.2 million US dollars) to Gaza.