ADDS DETAILS
By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) - British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said Tuesday that Israel's "worlds must turn into action" on increasing humanitarian aid into Gaza as nine countries including Britain airdropped over 10 tons of aid into the besieged enclave.
A statement by Britain’s Ministry of Defense and Foreign Office said that led by the Jordanian Armed Forces, the international operation saw 14 aircraft drop essential aid.
The US, Germany, France, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Egypt also took part, said the ministry.
It said the operation was the biggest international aid drop on a single day since the Israel-Hamas war began last October.
"The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more," said Cameron.
He noted that they continue to push Israel "as hard as we can" to get more aid across the border and delivered throughout the region.
"Words must turn into action -- this is essential to avoid an even more severe humanitarian crisis," he added.
Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said this is the sixth Royal Air Force (RAF) airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tons of aid including water, flour and baby formula.
"The prospect of famine in Gaza is real, and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians," he added.
Israel has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians since an Oct. 7 cross-border incursion by the Palestinian group Hamas which claimed 1,200 lives.
Much of Gaza's infrastructure has since been destroyed and 1.9 million residents forcibly displaced, leaving them at risk of disease and famine.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered it to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.