New Round of U.S. Aerial Aid to Gaza; CENTCOM: Tens of Thousands of Meals and Water Delivered to Civilians

On Monday, March 11, coinciding with the first day of Ramadan, the United States delivered the seventh round of its aerial aid to civilians residing in Gaza. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a statement that on Monday afternoon, Gaza time, C-130 aircraft and specialized army personnel in aerial aid delivered over 27,000 meals and approximately 26,000 bottles of water to residents in northern Gaza. According to CENTCOM's statement, this action by the U.S. Department of Defense and its partners was aimed at 'alleviating the human suffering of Gaza residents,' and planning for this 'ongoing effort' is underway. Meanwhile, on Sunday, during a joint operation between the U.S. and Jordan, 11,500 meals and other items including rice, flour, pasta, and canned foods were delivered to northern Gaza residents by C-130 aircraft from both countries. Following an order from President Joe Biden, the first round of U.S. aerial aid to war-affected civilians in Gaza was delivered on Saturday, March 2, with the assistance of the Jordanian Air Force. The U.S. subsequently delivered hundreds of thousands of meals during the second to sixth rounds of aerial aid on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and finally Sundays. CENTCOM also announced on Saturday, March 9, that the U.S. Army's General Frank Besson ship has set sail from the Langley-Eustis joint base to the Eastern Mediterranean; an operation ordered by Joe Biden to construct a pier aimed at humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza via the sea. Additionally, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates will join the U.S. in opening this maritime route for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has stated that it welcomes the establishment of a maritime corridor for transferring humanitarian aid from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip. After the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of over 250 others, Israel launched an assault on Gaza aimed at destroying this Islamist group supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hamas officials have repeatedly stated that they will carry out similar attacks if capable. Without mentioning the number of its members killed as a result of the Israeli assault on Gaza, Hamas claims that over 31,000 Palestinians residing in Gaza have been killed and about 73,000 others injured. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify or confirm the figures provided. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.