1st Belgian plane departs to airdrop food aid to Gaza amid dire humanitarian situation

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The first Belgian plane has departed to airdrop food and hygiene products to Gaza, the country’s foreign minister said on Monday.

"The situation in Gaza is dire, with huge humanitarian needs," Hadja Lahbib wrote on X as the dire humanitarian situation continues to worsen in the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Noting that the first Belgian plane for airdrop of food and hygiene products has departed, she added: "Belgium remains fully committed on all fronts. The violence must end!"

Last week, Belgium announced that the country's Rapid Response Team (B-FAST) would send supplies via an A400M military transport aircraft on March 4.

Israel has launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed 30,534 people and injured 71,920 others with mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.