US military drops humanitarian aid from aircraft into Gaza, but will not deploy troops

(Patria) - The US military carried out another aerial delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, dropping more than 36,800 meals by parachute, Reuters reported.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza, supported by the United States, has displaced most of the enclave's 2.3 million inhabitants and led to a critical shortage of food, water, and medicine. The situation is worst in northern Gaza, which is beyond the reach of humanitarian agencies or news cameras, and aid was dropped there. Health authorities in Gaza say fifteen children have died of malnutrition or dehydration in one hospital alone.

Air-delivered aid is an expensive and insufficient alternative to aid delivered by trucks, given the scale of the humanitarian crisis, according to US officials.

President Joe Biden's administration is pushing for greater land access.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war cabinet, at the Pentagon on Tuesday and urged Israel to do more to help civilians.

“The Secretary (Austin) expressed strong concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and requested Minister Gantz’s support in enabling greater humanitarian assistance and distribution in Gaza,” said Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder.

Gantz made no comments at the Pentagon, but told reporters outside the State Department that his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was “very good”.

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller called the humanitarian situation in Gaza “terrible”.

The US conducted its first air drop over the coast of southwestern Gaza on Saturday.

US officials have expressed interest in a possible maritime corridor for aid delivery to Gaza, but it is unclear how aid would enter without the presence of the US military to facilitate it, including the establishment of a temporary port.

Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, seemed to downplay such a possibility when asked if US troops would be needed to secure a port or other distribution point on land.

“There are no plans at this time to deploy US forces on the ground in Gaza,” Ryder said.