ISTANBUL 

The United Arab Emirates and Egypt began an operation Thursday to airdrop humanitarian aid in the northern Gaza Strip to lessen the suffering of Palestinians and help them overcome challenging situations, said a news report. 

“The Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defence announced the launch of 'Birds of Goodness' operation to airdrop humanitarian and relief aid by the UAE Air Force and the Egyptian Air Force in the northern Gaza Strip,” according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

“The operation aims to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people due to the war and help them overcome the difficult circumstances they are facing,” it said.

“The operation is expected to accelerate the delivery of urgent aid to those in need in northern Gaza.

“The operation, which will last for several weeks, comes within the framework of Arab and humanitarian solidarity to help the Palestinian people in light of the critical circumstances facing their children in the Gaza Strip,” the agency added.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed and 70,457 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

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 is 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.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio