The United States airdropped humanitarian aid into Gaza for the first time on Saturday, dropping thousands of food and aid pallets into the enclave.

U.S. officials said C-130 aircraft dropped 66 pallets containing 38,000 meals over the town of Mawasi in southwestern Gaza and the war-torn region.

The delivery is expected to be the first of many U.S. airdrops in Gaza and will be coordinated by the U.S. in partnership with Jordan.

The Biden administration is also considering sending aid by sea from Cyprus, about 210 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.

US President Joe Biden yesterday revealed that the United States would begin airdropping humanitarian aid to Gaza, a day after Israeli troops opened fire on crowds waiting for aid, killing dozens of Palestinians.

The Hamas Health Ministry in Gaza said that at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 injured in the incident in Gaza City.

“We need to do more and the United States will do more,” the US leader said, adding that “the aid flowing to Gaza is not nearly enough.” “

The White House said the airdrops would be an ongoing effort and that Israel supported the airdrops.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the airdrop plan is to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to local people in a safe manner.

Kirby said airdrops have advantages over trucks because planes can move aid to specific locations very quickly, and in terms of volume, airdrops will “supplement rather than replace ground transportation.”

Other countries, including France, Egypt and Jordan, have airdropped aid into Gaza to help its people, many of whom are starving and dehydrated.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 576,000 people in Gaza – a quarter of the enclave’s population – are one step away from famine.

Since the war broke out on October 7, Israel has banned food, water, medicine and other supplies from entering Gaza, except for a small amount of aid entering the south from Egypt’s Rafah crossing and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing.

The United Nations faces “enormous obstacles” in providing aid to Gaza.

According to reports from Gaza, people are eating animal feed to survive, and medical staff say children are dying from malnutrition and dehydration.

Aid officials say airdrops are not an effective means of distributing aid but should be used as a last resort.

The C-130 cargo plane is a widely used military jet that delivers aid to remote areas due to its ability to land in harsh environments and its cargo capabilities.

A C-130 can airlift up to 42,000 pounds of cargo, and its crews know how to fit cargo (and sometimes vehicles) onto large pallets that can be dropped safely from the back of the aircraft.

Air Force loaders secure the package to the pallet with a net, which is mounted on the rear of the C-130 for release, and then when the aircraft reaches the intended delivery area, the crew releases it with a parachute.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press.