Gazans watch the skies to spot planes dropping aid

The RAF carried out its first two aid flights this week. France, Germany, Jordan, Egypt and the UAE have also been taking part. Dropping 40,000 ready-prepared meals into the tiny, besieged war-zone requires them to make a six-hour round trip from Doha. Maj Boone: We use a chute that falls at a slower rate to give Gazans more time to see the parachute and get out of the way.

He said they mapped the route carefully, aiming to land the aid in safer, open spaces along the Gaza coast. They also drop the parcels over the sea so that crates with malfunctioning parachutes would drop into the water. American food parcels are being targeted at places where American-made weapons have already made their mark. Desperation leads many to take enormous risks to retrieve the aid - and many come away with nothing.

Hamas has reportedly demanded a halt to air drops as casualties have grown. U. S. Air Force drops food to 2 million people in Gaza.

Some residents in northern areas reportedly spend their days watching the skies for aid. Many hung over the water - but two, their parachutes stalled, crashed straight into the sea. The BBC counted 11 air drops that day. Maj Boone: “If we can at least get a can of beans or hummus to support ourselves, we hope we will eat today” A recent global assessment warned of imminent famine in Gaza.

Israel has rejected both the famine assessment and the UN court order. It has accused Hamas of stealing aid. US President Joe Biden has been pressing Israel’s prime minister hard to expand access for land convoys. The US is building a temporary pier in Gaza to get more aid in quickly.

Israel’s busiest cargo port, 48km (30 miles) from Gaza City, has not been opened for aid.