The German military has commenced a series of airdrops over the Gaza Strip, initiated on Friday. According to a statement released midday by the Federal Foreign Office, the Luftwaffe conducted two flights, delivering a total of approximately 14 tons of food and medical supplies. These supplies were provided by the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO).
The operation follows a request from King Abdullah II of Jordan, who appealed to the international community to renew support for a coordinated airdrop initiative aimed at alleviating the humanitarian situation for civilians in Gaza.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized the limited scope of the airdrops, stating, “For many people – including many children – it is a matter of survival”. He added that while the flights offer a small contribution to providing essential supplies, Israel bears responsibility for ensuring comprehensive humanitarian assistance to those suffering in Gaza for months.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul underscored that the airdrops are intended as a supplementary measure and do not replace established land routes for humanitarian aid. “We continue to work intensively to re-establish the established humanitarian land route, which the airdrops cannot replace” he stated. “It remains clear that only through the land route can aid supplies reach the people in sufficient quantities.
Concerns have been raised by humanitarian organizations prior to the operation, with some noting the total volume of aid to be dropped could be accommodated within a single truck. The German government maintains that the operation aims to provide immediate relief alongside efforts to fully restore land-based delivery channels.
