Canadian Forces airdrop humanitarian aid for first time into Gaza

The Canadian Armed Forces made their first humanitarian airdrop over Gaza on Monday using their own aircraft — delivering 9,800 kilograms of aid to Palestinians, according to Global Affairs Canada.

CBC News had exclusive access to the Canadian effort, which delivered food supplies like lentils, oil, milk powder and pasta using a CC-130J Hercules aircraft that departed from a Jordanian airbase.

The drop was part of an attempt by six countries to alleviate the hunger crisis in the Palestinian territory.

“Canada is taking these exceptional measures with our international partners as access to humanitarian aid in Gaza is severely restricted and humanitarian needs have reached an unprecedented level,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement published Monday afternoon.

“Despite the scale of need, humanitarian partners face severe challenges in delivering life-saving food and medical assistance by land due to ongoing restrictions imposed by the Israeli government.”

In an interview with CBC News, Maj. Cam MacKay with the 436 Transport Squadron, said the team “is very motivated to do this mission.”

“There are people that are very much in need of that aid on the ground, and for us to be able to assist Global Affairs Canada and being able to deliver that aid, it feels very good,” he said.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said on social media that “120 aid packages containing food for the residents of the Gaza Strip were airdropped by six different countries, including Canada, which joined the airdrop operations for the first time today.”

The other five countries were Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Germany and Belgium, the IDF said. France and Spain have also participated in other airdrops over the last four days.

Palestinians plead for more aid

Mohamed El Saife, a CBC News freelance videographer in Gaza, captured footage on the ground at the same time as the Canadian plane was over Gaza. It was a chaotic scene as Palestinians rushed to an aid drop site in the Nuseirat area in central Gaza.

Upon arrival at the site, men and women pushed each other, and some children could be seen climbing over the desperate crowds to get closer to the humanitarian aid.

“Look at the humiliation so I could get [aid],” 30-year-old Muhammad Ammar said in Arabic. “Everyone is cutting and killing people because they torment us. They don’t want us to eat.” 

Source: CBC