Israel not involved in food package inspection during Gaza airdrops, according to Pentagon
Israel was not involved in the inspection process for the food packages airdropped over Gaza during a joint operation with Jordan, stated the Pentagon, as reported by The Jerusalem Post. The Pentagon clarified that the prepackaged foods were inspected at the time of processing and before delivery; however, it did not provide further details on the inspection process or the departure location of the aircraft for the airdrop.
Joint airdrop operation with Jordan delivers aid to Gaza
White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby confirmed that an airdrop operation, in collaboration with the Jordanian Royal Air Force, delivered 38,000 ready-to-eat meals into Gaza. A total of 66 bundles of aid were offloaded across three C-130 aircraft to provide essential supplies to those in dire need. The US plans to conduct additional airdrops in the future to address the food crisis in Gaza caused by the ongoing conflict with Hamas.
Belgium considers conducting similar airdrops as a solution to aid distribution challenges
Belgium, among other countries, is considering conducting similar airdrop operations to address the challenges of ground aid distribution in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The United Nations has reported a food crisis in Gaza, home to 2.3 million people, emphasizing the need for alternative mechanisms to provide crucial supplies.
Concerns over the security aspects of such operations were raised by Israeli opposition leader MK Yair Lapid. Lapid criticized the current Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that they are not qualified to handle the war or the necessary diplomacy. Lapid specifically mentioned that the airdrops conducted by the Americans and the Jordanians into Gaza did not undergo security inspection, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s management of the crisis.
Israel’s role in inspecting goods entering Gaza
The Israeli office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated that Israel had been involved in the inspection of aid packages airdropped into Gaza. COGAT confirmed that security checks are conducted on the aid packages, and Israeli officials are also engaged in the inspection process.
When questioned further about the security procedures, no additional details were provided by COGAT, the US, or Yair Lapid’s office regarding how security is handled or will be handled during the airdrop operations.
It is worth noting that Israel maintains tight control over the inspection of goods entering Gaza to prevent the smuggling of weapons or materials that could be used for weapon production, supporting Hamas’ aggression. Along with inspections at Rafah border, Israel previously had three land crossings into Gaza, with two controlled by Israel and a third at Rafah under Egyptian control.
Over the past two decades, the recent airdrops conducted by the US and Jordan mark the first instance of non-Israeli aircraft flying into Gaza airspace.
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