The United States airdropped the first of humanitarian aid into Gaza, U.S. officials said.
U.S. officials said that multiple U.S. military C-130 cargo planes dropped pallets of food over Gaza on Saturday, The Associated Press reported. The food drop is believed to be the first of many. The airdrop was in coordination with Jordan to provide aid to the area.
Officials told NBC News it was about 66 food pallets involved in the first airdrop.
President Biden announced Friday that the U.S. military would airdrop food into Gaza.
The airdrop came days after dozens of Palestinians surged goods from an aid convoy. Around 100 Palestinians were killed and hundreds were injured after an encounter with Israeli troops, the AP reported. Israel claims that many people were either crushed or trampled trying to get food.
It is believed that the airdrops will be a “sustained effort” that Israel supports, the White House said, according to Reuters.
It’s the first airdrop from the United States but other countries have done so already including France, Egypt and Jordan, Reuters reported.