Explore the ongoing efforts by the US to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza through airdrops. This video delves into the critical challenges faced during these missions, the shortfall in essential supplies like water and medicine, and the broader implications for the region. Stay informed on this crucial humanitarian crisis.
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00:00Food, desperately needed, airdropped over northern Gaza by the U.S. Air Force. Before
00:06takeoff, the crew loaded their U.S. military C-130 cargo plane with nearly two tons of
00:12aid, ready to eat chicken and rice meals, wheat, dates and powdered milk.
00:17Shortly after, we roared into the air. Our one-hour journey from Jordan took us west
00:22over Israel to northern Gaza. As the aft doors opened, we banked hard over the Mediterranean
00:28with the horizon almost on its side, descending to just 3,000 feet. Gaza's coastline first
00:33appeared, then the outlines of the destruction of Gaza City, once the strip's biggest, just
00:38before the drop.
00:40These meals are now being dropped into the active war zone that is the Gaza Strip. It
00:44is some relief, but it is hardly enough.
00:47Aid agencies estimate about 300,000 people are still living in the war-ravaged wasteland
00:53of northern Gaza, with hundreds of thousands more on the brink of famine.
00:57In addition to the U.S. today, military cargo jets from Jordan, Egypt, France, the Netherlands
01:02and Belgium flew airdrop missions. But one parachute that failed to deploy overshadowed
01:07all the good intent. Its connected package hurtled to the ground, injuring at least 11
01:12people and killing five, among them, nine-year-old Mohanad Mikdad.
01:17A tragedy that came as the U.S. plans to build a temporary pier on Gaza's coast. That could
01:23resemble this army-built causeway that would be driven into the shore and could offload
01:28two million meals each day. Completion is expected to take up to 60 days.
01:33With the holy fasting month of Ramadan now just a few nights away, a prayer for food
01:39may be on everyone's lips.
01:41And a U.S. defense official tells CBS News that an initial review of that parachute failure
01:46that killed those five Gazans indicated the American airdrop was not to blame and an investigation
01:53is still required.
01:54Ramey Inocencio, CBS News, Amman, Jordan.