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AMMAN: Gaza’s beachfront was once a lifeline for Palestinians — a place where cafes bustled, fishermen hauled in their catch, and people living under a 17-year siege could cling to a fragile sense of normalcy.

Today, the view from high overhead aboard a Royal Jordanian Air Force flight dropping aid onto the war-ravaged enclave shows that little of this once-vibrant seaside community now remains.

Nearly two years of intense Israeli bombardment have left Gaza in ruins. Many blocks are filled with crumbling buildings and piles of ash-gray rubble, while other neighborhoods have been erased entirely, leaving behind empty voids. 

Along the shoreline, tents are now scattered where homes once stood, sheltering families displaced by the fighting.

Arab News joined one of the near-daily humanitarian flights, which the Jordanian Armed Forces resumed on July 27 in coordination with several countries, to drop aid over Gaza in response to reports of rising starvation.

From the air, people and cars could be seen moving through the rubble-strewn streets below — a stark glimpse of how Palestinians continue to navigate daily life amid devastation with little to no access to food, water, shelter, or medicine.

Despite the routine humanitarian missions, crew members say comprehending the view from above never gets any easier.

“It’s heartbreaking,” one crew member told Arab News as he helped load the C-130 military aircraft set to depart from King Abdullah II Air Base near Zarqa. “It hits us the same way every day. Seeing the destruction in real life is nothing like watching it on TV, especially when you see the people on the ground.”

Flying over Gaza after about nine months of suspended operations showed just how much the destruction has worsened since the first round of airdrops last year, he said.

On Wednesday, seven aircraft — two from Jordan, two from Germany, and one each from the UAE, France, and Belgium — took off from the air base in Amman, dropping 54 tons of medical supplies, food, and baby formula over Gaza from an altitude of about 2,500 feet.

Humanitarian organizations say airdrops offer only a tiny fraction of what is needed to sustain the 2.2 million people in Gaza, where the UN warned of an “unfolding famine.”

The situation in Gaza deteriorated after Israel blocked all aid shipments for two and a half months following the collapse of a six-week ceasefire in March. Since it eased the blockade in late May, Israel has allowed in a trickle of UN aid trucks — about 70 a day on average, according to official Israeli figures.

That is far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day that UN agencies say are needed. The aid, which was dropped on Wednesday, is equivalent to less than three.

While military officials confirmed that the aid provided through airdrops is insufficient, they believe what they are doing is making a difference.

“We are proud that we are able to support with whatever we can. It’s our humanitarian duty,” one crew member told Arab News.

A ground operations supervisor said Jordan’s role in leading international aid efforts fills him with pride.

“Our teams work around the clock, and we are proud of the tremendous effort being made on the ground,” he told Arab News. “We feel like we are doing something, regardless how minimal, to help people living in heartbreaking conditions.”

Since the airdrops resumed, 379 tons of aid have been delivered, according to military data. So far, the Jordanian Armed Forces has carried out 142 missions, in addition to 299 joint airdrops conducted in coordination with Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.

Israel began allowing airdrops in response to growing international pressure over the worsening hunger crisis in Gaza. The measures include daily 10-hour pauses in fighting across three densely populated areas — Deir Al-Balah, Gaza City, and Al-Mawasi — along with the opening of limited humanitarian corridors to allow UN aid convoys into the strip.

Despite these efforts, people in Gaza are continuing to succumb to starvation. According to local authorities, 188 Palestinians, including 94 children, have died from hunger since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza, instead blaming any shortages on Hamas for allegedly stealing aid or on the UN for distribution failures. On July 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X: “There is no policy of starvation in Gaza. There is no starvation in Gaza.”

The hunger crisis is worsened by the deadly conditions surrounding aid distribution through four centers operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US and Israeli-backed logistics startup.

Since their establishment in May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid, according to UN estimates. The foundation has repeatedly denied these accusations.

Israel is now facing renewed pressure to fully reopen land crossings and allow uninterrupted aid convoys to enter, as humanitarian groups stress that airdrops, while better than nothing, are no substitute for coordinated, large-scale deliveries by land.

With no precision or coordination, airdrops tend to end up in the hands of whoever reaches them first rather than the most needy. Aid groups say airdrops can also pose a threat to life, landing on civilians or causing stampedes as desperate people rush to collect relief.

However, a military official told Arab News the airdrops have the added advantage of reaching areas that are now inaccessible by road.

“Some neighborhoods are flattened to the ground. The road infrastructure in Gaza is destroyed. Therefore, we can reach areas that lorries cannot,” the official said.

Flights are carried out with international missions to drop the aid at designated points across northern, central, and southern Gaza.

On the Jordanian flight, each pallet was packed, sealed, and divided into half-ton units. Each box was packed with a mix of aid — including food, medicine, and baby formula — to meet the diverse needs of the people it would reach.

Asked how long the air drops are likely to continue, a senior army official told Arab News: “As long as we have the capability.”

After takeoff at 11 a.m., the air force crew shouted instructions over the deafening roar of the C-130 aircraft, coordinating with the pilot and with each other through headphones.

At noon, Gaza’s landscape came into view along the wide stretch of shoreline. The journalists on board, who have long been barred from entering Gaza to report from the ground, were instructed not to photograph the devastation below.

Ten minutes later, the plane descended to a lower altitude. The rear doors opened to reveal the vast, ravaged landscape. A countdown began before eight pallets, each weighing a ton, were released in two batches, parachuting into the unknown over Gaza.

“This is for you, Gaza. May God help you,” one crew member murmured, embracing his colleague as the aid disappeared from view.

Then the doors closed. The aircraft turned back toward Amman, leaving behind only questions. Who would reach the aid first? Who would carry a box of food or medicine home to their family? Who would be left to wait for the next drop? Would another drop arrive?