Although the German government has recognized"initial slight progress" in the provision of aid to the Gaza Strip, it warns against Hamas appropriating aid, saying the terrorist organization diverts 50 to 100 percent of the aid.
The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) have once again airdropped relief supplies over the Gaza Strip. A transport aircraft dropped 22 pallets of food and medical supplies, weighing a total of 9.6 tons, a spokesperson for the German Air Force told the German Press Agency in Berlin. The A400M aircraft took off from Jordan. If possible, the relief flights will continue on Sunday.
Meanwhile, according to government spokesperson Steffen Kornelius, the German government sees"initial slight progress in humanitarian aid for the population in the Gaza Strip," which, however, is far from sufficient to alleviate the emergency. Kornelius stated this in writing after Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) informed the Security Cabinet by telephone about his trip to Israel and the West Bank.
"Israel remains obligated to ensure comprehensive supplies, including with the support of the United Nations and other humanitarian organizations," Kornelius said."At the same time, the German government is concerned about reports that large quantities of aid are being withheld by Hamas and criminal organizations."
German security sources reported that 50 to 100 percent of the aid supplies entering the Gaza Strip were diverted by Hamas or other criminal organizations. Since last week, 220 trucks carrying aid have been arriving in the area daily. Two of the three major water pipelines in the Gaza Strip are currently functioning, as is one of the ten power transmission lines. The price of flour is a staggering €80 per kilogram. 73 tons of aid supplies have been dropped from the air so far.
“Airdrops are only a small contribution”
In a post about the airdrops on Network X, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) thanked the Bundeswehr, Jordanian, and European partners."We know that airdrops are only a small contribution to alleviating the suffering of the people in Gaza. That's why we continue to work intensively to facilitate the delivery of aid by land."
The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) began their relief operation on Friday. German transport aircraft dropped pallets of food and medical supplies over the Gaza Strip, the Defense Ministry announced.
According to the UN, the Gaza Strip is on the verge of famine. Israel controls all access to the Mediterranean coastal area and has allowed little or no aid shipments through for several months.
dpa/coh/saha
