Bundeswehr plane drops more aid into Gaza

Germany’s Armed Forces or Bundeswehr carried out another airdrop of aid into the Gaza Strip, a spokesman told dpa on Saturday, amid famine in the embattled area.

An A400M aircraft that departed from Jordan released 22 pallets of food and medical supplies weighing a total of 9.6 tons. he said.

If possible, the aid flights are to continue on Sunday, the spokesman added.

The Gaza Strip is on the brink of famine, the United Nations has said. Israel controls all access points to the area and for several months, allowed no or only minimal aid deliveries to pass through in an effort to increase pressure on Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

After growing criticism worldwide of the suffering of Palestinian civilians, Israel allowed larger deliveries by land last week and supported air drops of aid supplies from allied states such as Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Germany is participating in the operation with two aircraft which are loaded at a military base in Jordan and drop urgently needed food and equipment over the Gaza Strip.

But air drops are ineffective and expensive due to the relatively small quantities compared to trucks, say international organizations. Pallets of supplies can also injure or kill people on the ground in such a densely populated area.