US Air Force resumes humanitarian aid drops into Gaza

The Air Force on Sunday resumed airdropping humanitarian aid into Gaza after pausing operations for more than a month as Israel’s invasion of the city of Rafah unfolded.

A C-130J transport aircraft assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, deployed from Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, dropped 12,500 prepackaged military meals, Capt. Daniel de La Fé, a spokesperson for Air Forces Central Command, told Air Force Times Monday. The service said the mission included the Royal Jordanian Air Force and other coalition partners.

The airdrop marks the Air Force’s 40th aid mission, comprised of 103 individual flights over the Gaza Strip, since the sorties began March 2. It’s also the service’s first since the Pentagon put humanitarian air missions on hold May 9, largely as the result of Israel’s strikes targeting suspected Hamas militant strongholds in the southern city of Rafah, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh has said.

“I’m extraordinarily proud of the hard work of our coalition airmen and soldiers who are accomplishing these airdrop missions,” Air Forces Central boss Lt. Gen. Derek France said in a statement. “I am also grateful for the integration and cooperation by regional and international partners who came together with us to provide hope to those in need.”