The Royal Air Force has participated in a large-scale international aid airdrop into Gaza to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.
Collectively delivering hundreds of tonnes of aid, it was the largest airdrop of aid into Gaza on a single day and the culmination of careful planning alongside international partners to ensure the complex mission could be conducted safely and effectively. Led by the Jordanian Armed Forces, the international operation saw 9 nations and 14 aircraft drop essential aid.
An RAF A400M flew from Amman, Jordan to airdrop over 10 tonnes of aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water and rice, along the northern coastline of Gaza. The MOD said the flight took around an hour with other nations’ aircraft dropping aid throughout the course of the day.
The Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
"The prospect of famine in Gaza is real and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians.
This is the sixth RAF airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tonnes of aid, including water, flour and baby formula.
After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow. 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."
The Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:
"Led by our Jordanian partners, we have joined nations around the world to mark the end of Ramadan by getting life-saving aid into Gaza. Thousands of people in desperate need will benefit from this united effort.
The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more.
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."