CEASEFIRE NOW!
Israeli public 'wants to see end to war', polls indicate opposition would 'win handily' in electionsIssued on: 01/03/2024 -
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his rejection of what he called "delusional" demands by the Islamist group Hamas as efforts continued to reach a pause in the fighting in Gaza. As the war enters its fifth month, FRANCE 24's François Picard is joined by Itamar Rabinovich, former Israeli Ambassador to Washington and founding President of the Israel Institute.
06:54 Video by:François PICARD
Biden announces US aid air drops in Gaza
Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden said Friday that the United States would start to deliver relief supplies from the air into Gaza, a day after the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians at an aid convoy.
Issued on: 01/03/2024
The US president added that he would "insist" that Israel let in more aid trucks, while it would also look at a possible "marine corridor" to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza.
Biden had been planning air drops for some time but Thursday's incident "certainly underscored for the president" the need to find other ways to get aid in, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The United States planned to carry out multiple air drops that would last weeks, said Kirby, adding that it would not be "one and done."
But it was also a "tough military operation" that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel.
"It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza," said Kirby.
The United States also had to manage the risks to its own personnel.
"This is a war zone. So there's an added element of potential danger to the pilots in the aircraft," he added.
Kirby said Israel was meanwhile "seriously" investigating the aid convoy deaths.
However, Washington would continue to support Israel militarily despite the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Kirby said.
"We are still helping Israel with their needs to defend themselves," he said.
The amount of aid brought into the territory by truck has plummeted during nearly five months of war, and Gazans are facing dire shortages of food, water and medicines.
A frenzied scramble for food from a truck convoy delivering aid to northern Gaza left more than 100 people dead on Thursday, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, after Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd.
With most aid convoys halted, some foreign militaries have air-dropped supplies to Gaza instead, sending long lines of aid pallets floating down into the war-torn territory on parachutes.
Jordan has been conducting many of the operations since war broke out on October 7, with the support of countries including Britain, France and the Netherlands.
Egypt sent several military planes on an air drop Thursday together with the United Arab Emirates.
Imad Dughmosh from Al-Sabra in central Gaza told AFP he managed to get some food and water from the aid drops, but there hadn't been enough for everyone waiting.
"In the end, I took bags of pasta and cheese, but my cousins were not able to get anything," the 44-year-old said.
"I was happy because I took some food for the children, but it was not enough."
Humanitarian crisis
'Extremely challenging'
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian office OCHA, said Friday that there were "many issues" with air drops, which are better for small, specific missions.
"Aid that comes in in that way is a last resort," he said, adding that it was "not the solution that we prefer" for Gaza.
Washington (AFP) – President Joe Biden said Friday that the United States would start to deliver relief supplies from the air into Gaza, a day after the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians at an aid convoy.
Issued on: 01/03/2024
US President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the Oval Office of the White House on March 1, 2024
© SAUL LOEB / AFP
"We need to do more, and the United States will do more," Biden told reporters at the White House at the start of a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
"In the coming days we're going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing air drops of additional food and supplies," the 81-year-old Biden said in the Oval Office.
The announcement comes as negotiations continue for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza which has been under siege since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel.
Biden has pushed Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid in, while at the same time he has maintained military assistance for the key US ally.
Biden said later he was "hoping" for a deal on a six-week ceasefire by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which will start on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.
"We'll get there but we're not there yet -- we may not get there," Biden added, without elaborating, as he headed to his helicopter to spend the weekend at the presidential Camp David retreat.
Ceasefire talks have been complicated by Thursday's incident in which dozens of desperate Palestinians were killed rushing an aid convoy in northern Gaza, where the UN has warned of famine.
An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it "posed a threat."
"We need to do more, and the United States will do more," Biden told reporters at the White House at the start of a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
"In the coming days we're going to join with our friends in Jordan and others in providing air drops of additional food and supplies," the 81-year-old Biden said in the Oval Office.
The announcement comes as negotiations continue for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza which has been under siege since Hamas's October 7 attacks on Israel.
Biden has pushed Israel to reduce civilian casualties and allow aid in, while at the same time he has maintained military assistance for the key US ally.
Biden said later he was "hoping" for a deal on a six-week ceasefire by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which will start on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.
"We'll get there but we're not there yet -- we may not get there," Biden added, without elaborating, as he headed to his helicopter to spend the weekend at the presidential Camp David retreat.
Ceasefire talks have been complicated by Thursday's incident in which dozens of desperate Palestinians were killed rushing an aid convoy in northern Gaza, where the UN has warned of famine.
An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it "posed a threat."
Calls for probe, ceasefire follow Israeli gunfire near Gaza aid convoy
Issued on: 01/03/2024 -
Issued on: 01/03/2024 -
World leaders called on Friday for an investigation and a ceasefire nearly five months into the Gaza war, a day after dozens of desperate Palestinians were killed rushing an aid convoy. Israeli troops opened fire as Palestinian civilians scrambled for food supplies during a chaotic melee on Thursday which the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said killed more than 100 people in Gaza City. FRANCE 24's Andrew Hilliar reports.
02:51 Video by: Andrew HILLIAR
IT'S NOT A WAR IT'S GENOCIDE
'Terrible war'
"Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in," Biden said as he announced the air drops.
"Innocent people got caught in a terrible war, unable to feed their families. And you saw the response when they tried to get aid in," Biden said as he announced the air drops.
US President Joe Biden speaks to the press before he departs the White House in Washington, DC, for the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland
© SAUL LOEB / AFP
The US president added that he would "insist" that Israel let in more aid trucks, while it would also look at a possible "marine corridor" to deliver large amounts of aid into Gaza.
Biden had been planning air drops for some time but Thursday's incident "certainly underscored for the president" the need to find other ways to get aid in, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
The United States planned to carry out multiple air drops that would last weeks, said Kirby, adding that it would not be "one and done."
But it was also a "tough military operation" that required careful planning by the Pentagon for the safety of both Gazan civilians and US military personnel.
"It is extremely difficult to do an airdrop in such a crowded environment as is Gaza," said Kirby.
The United States also had to manage the risks to its own personnel.
"This is a war zone. So there's an added element of potential danger to the pilots in the aircraft," he added.
Kirby said Israel was meanwhile "seriously" investigating the aid convoy deaths.
However, Washington would continue to support Israel militarily despite the growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Kirby said.
"We are still helping Israel with their needs to defend themselves," he said.
FROM WHAT?
© 2024 AFP
© 2024 AFP
'Last resort': Donors hope to offer Gaza lifeline with air drops
Gaza Strip (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – With the humanitarian situation in Gaza increasingly desperate, the United States said Friday that it would join some of its Arab and European allies in delivering emergency relief from the sky.
Issued on: 01/03/2024
Gaza Strip (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – With the humanitarian situation in Gaza increasingly desperate, the United States said Friday that it would join some of its Arab and European allies in delivering emergency relief from the sky.
Issued on: 01/03/2024
Foreign militaries have air dropped supplies over Gaza, sending a sea of humanitarian aid supplies floating down
The amount of aid brought into the territory by truck has plummeted during nearly five months of war, and Gazans are facing dire shortages of food, water and medicines.
A frenzied scramble for food from a truck convoy delivering aid to northern Gaza left more than 100 people dead on Thursday, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, after Israeli forces opened fire on the crowd.
With most aid convoys halted, some foreign militaries have air-dropped supplies to Gaza instead, sending long lines of aid pallets floating down into the war-torn territory on parachutes.
Jordan has been conducting many of the operations since war broke out on October 7, with the support of countries including Britain, France and the Netherlands.
Egypt sent several military planes on an air drop Thursday together with the United Arab Emirates.
Imad Dughmosh from Al-Sabra in central Gaza told AFP he managed to get some food and water from the aid drops, but there hadn't been enough for everyone waiting.
"In the end, I took bags of pasta and cheese, but my cousins were not able to get anything," the 44-year-old said.
"I was happy because I took some food for the children, but it was not enough."
Humanitarian crisis
Gazans are facing dire humanitarian conditions and food shortages © - / AFP
Deliveries into Gaza have been reduced to a trickle since the war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed 30,228 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry.
In northern Gaza, where Israel began its ground operation, many residents have been reduced to eating animal fodder.
Ten children have died of "malnutrition and dehydration", the health ministry said Friday.
As well as the risks of dropping parcels onto crowded camps and cities, residents of the coastal territory told AFP many aid pallets had ended up in the Mediterranean.
"Most of the aid fell into the sea today, and also the parachutes that fell on Thursday and Wednesday all fell into the sea, except for a very small number," said Hani Ghabboun, who lives in Gaza City with his wife and five children.
He said Gazans need "hundreds of tonnes of aid to confront the famine and feed the people."
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed 30,228 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry.
In northern Gaza, where Israel began its ground operation, many residents have been reduced to eating animal fodder.
Ten children have died of "malnutrition and dehydration", the health ministry said Friday.
As well as the risks of dropping parcels onto crowded camps and cities, residents of the coastal territory told AFP many aid pallets had ended up in the Mediterranean.
"Most of the aid fell into the sea today, and also the parachutes that fell on Thursday and Wednesday all fell into the sea, except for a very small number," said Hani Ghabboun, who lives in Gaza City with his wife and five children.
He said Gazans need "hundreds of tonnes of aid to confront the famine and feed the people."
'Extremely challenging'
Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian office OCHA, said Friday that there were "many issues" with air drops, which are better for small, specific missions.
"Aid that comes in in that way is a last resort," he said, adding that it was "not the solution that we prefer" for Gaza.
The UN has said there are 'many issues' with air drops
© - / Jordanian army/AFP
"Overland transfer is simply better, more efficient, more effective and less costly."
But he warned: "If something doesn't change, a famine is almost inevitable on the current trends."
The United Nations has accused Israeli forces of "systematically" blocking access to Gaza, which Israel denies.
But Biden said on Friday that he would "insist" Israel let in more convoys by land. "No excuses, because the truth is aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere near enough."
He also said the United States would study a possible "marine corridor" to deliver large amounts of supplies into Gaza.
Aid groups, including the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, say safe road convoys are the best solution for the scale of need in Gaza.
A spokesman for the UN chief Antonio Guterres told reporters that nearly 1,000 trucks are waiting at the Egyptian border and ready to move.
"Air drops are extremely challenging," Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing this week. "(But) all options remain on the table".
Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, said air drops can only "help on the margins".
One plane can deliver the equivalent of two truckloads of aid, but at 10 times the cost, he told the BBC World Service on Friday.
"Rather than dropping food from the air, we should be putting immense pressure and using leverage on the Israeli government to allow aid in through more traditional channels that actually deliver at scale."
© 2024 AFP
"Overland transfer is simply better, more efficient, more effective and less costly."
But he warned: "If something doesn't change, a famine is almost inevitable on the current trends."
The United Nations has accused Israeli forces of "systematically" blocking access to Gaza, which Israel denies.
But Biden said on Friday that he would "insist" Israel let in more convoys by land. "No excuses, because the truth is aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere near enough."
He also said the United States would study a possible "marine corridor" to deliver large amounts of supplies into Gaza.
Aid groups, including the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, say safe road convoys are the best solution for the scale of need in Gaza.
A spokesman for the UN chief Antonio Guterres told reporters that nearly 1,000 trucks are waiting at the Egyptian border and ready to move.
"Air drops are extremely challenging," Stephane Dujarric said at a briefing this week. "(But) all options remain on the table".
Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, said air drops can only "help on the margins".
One plane can deliver the equivalent of two truckloads of aid, but at 10 times the cost, he told the BBC World Service on Friday.
"Rather than dropping food from the air, we should be putting immense pressure and using leverage on the Israeli government to allow aid in through more traditional channels that actually deliver at scale."
© 2024 AFP
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