Germany gives green light for armed forces to airdrop Gaza aid
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German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has given the go-ahead for the country's air force to drop urgently needed supplies over the Gaza Strip, joining several other countries that have airdropped aid on the besieged Palestinian territory.
Pistorius signed a corresponding order to the Bundeswehr armed forces on Wednesday, dpa has learned.
It comes after Germany's military confirmed that preparations are being made to drop aid on Gaza using C-130 transport aircraft stationed in France.
The French air force is already dropping aid supplies over the war zone in Gaza.
Wednesday's order sees Germany joining an initiative launched by Jordan to supply Gazans with aid from the air.
According to aid organizations, the situation of the people in Gaza, a narrow and densely populated coastal strip, is becoming increasingly desperate.
Israel has strictly limited land deliveries of aid to Gaza during a months-long Israeli military campaign of airstrikes and ground attacks.
According to the United Nations, a hunger crisis and starvation loom if aid deliveries by lorry are not expanded. Around 2.2 million people live in the Gaza Strip.
Israel launched its war and largely blockaded access to Gaza after the Palestinian militant group Hamas led unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7 that included brutal massacres of civilians.
According to the German military, the German part of the binational air transport squadron in Evreux, France, will be in charge of the German airdrops which could begin as early as the end of the week.
