Jordan and UAE Conduct Aid Airdrops in Gaza Amid Israel’s New Humanitarian Measures

Gaza, July 27, 2025: Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have initiated airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza following Israel’s announcement of new measures to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region. The move comes as images of parachutes delivering aid over bombed-out areas of Gaza underscore the dire situation faced by the territory’s residents.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it is establishing humanitarian corridors to counter what it calls “false claims of intentional starvation” in response to growing concerns from aid agencies about widespread malnutrition in Gaza. The IDF’s measures include a daily 10-hour pause in military operations in designated areas—Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and parts of Gaza City—to facilitate the safe delivery of aid. Additionally, Israel conducted its own airdrop of seven pallets containing flour, sugar, and canned food, coordinated with international organizations.

Jordan has complemented the airdrops with a convoy of 60 trucks carrying essential food supplies, according to the country’s state-run news agency. Egypt is also contributing by delivering additional aid via land routes, with trucks seen queuing at the Rafah border crossing. Despite these efforts, aid organizations have criticized airdrops as insufficient and inefficient. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), described them as a “grotesque distraction,” noting that approximately 160 airdrop flights would be needed to provide just one meal for Gaza’s roughly two million residents. UNRWA reports having 6,000 trucks’ worth of aid waiting in Jordan and Egypt, urging Israel to lift restrictions and allow unimpeded land deliveries to avert mass starvation. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reported six additional deaths from malnutrition in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 133 since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023, with 87 of those being children. The ministry also noted that 88 people were killed and 374 injured in the past day due to “Israeli aggression,” with a cumulative death toll of 59,821 and 144,851 injuries. Additionally, 11 people were killed and 36 injured while attempting to collect aid, highlighting the dangers surrounding aid distribution

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) emphasized that while the 10-hour daily pause is a step forward, it remains insufficient. MSF’s emergency operations director, Amande Bazerolle, called for a structured distribution system to ensure aid reaches those in need, warning of “life-long consequences” for Gazans due to prolonged malnutrition.

The international community, including the UK, France, and Germany, has intensified calls for Israel to ease aid restrictions, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing support for Jordan’s airdrop efforts. However, aid agencies stress that only a significant increase in land-based deliveries and a broader ceasefire can address the deepening crisis.

Hamas has accused Israel of obstructing aid and ceasefire talks, while Israel maintains that it allows sufficient aid into Gaza and blames Hamas for disruptions. As the humanitarian situation worsens, with nearly one in three Gazans not eating for days, the effectiveness of these new measures remains under scrutiny.