Washington — The first of three flights facilitated by the U.S. military is arriving in Egypt on Tuesday with medical supplies, food and winter supplies bound for civilians in Gaza, as the region enters its rainy season, senior U.S. administration officials told reporters.
The flights are in addition to the trucks arriving in Gaza each day with assistance, as the U.S. tries to curb the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, which has been sealed off by Israel since the attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7. A senior administration official said that since President Biden visited the region in October, more than 2,000 trucks have been delivered with food, water, medical assistance, shelter supplies and fuel. Mr. Biden has made it clear that, although the U.S. backs Israel in its fight against Hamas, the United States is committed to helping Palestinian civilians with basic needs.
“From the president on down, we understand that what is getting in is nowhere near enough for normal life in Gaza, and we will continue to push for additional steps, including the restoration of the flow of commercial goods, and additional basic services,” one of the senior administration officials said on a call with reporters.
The supplies provided by the military flights will be distributed to civilians by the United Nations, one official said.
The next phase in providing support will entail allowing a flow of commercial goods into Gaza. The humanitarian mission will also entail putting field hospitals in the region, and there are already field hospitals being established in South Gaza. Vaccines are among the supplies being delivered, too, as are clean water and sanitation equipment to avoid cholera or typhoid outbreaks.
The aid is part of Mr. Biden’s announcement last month of $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank.
The recent pause in fighting between Hamas and Israel has allowed for the release of dozens of women and children held by the designated terrorist group, but the humanitarian aid and the hostage release are not connected, officials said. One of those released in the last few days was a 4-year-old American girl.
“The assistance that is being moved, the fuel that is being provided, are not linked to the hostage releases,” one official said, adding that when this phase of the hostage releases is over, “increased levels ideally need to be sustained.”
