Amman: An Anadolu correspondent was onboard one of the aircraft that dropped aid into the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Laith Al Junaidi recorded the humanitarian airdrop operation from aboard one of two Royal Jordanian Air Force aircraft. The Jordanian Armed Forces, with the participation of "some brotherly and friendly countries," carried out five airdrops into Gaza, as reported by Jordan's official news agency, PETRA.

The aid packages, weighing 36 tons, were part of an international cooperation effort to increase humanitarian aid amid the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry announced that the country and Jordan led a multinational humanitarian aid airdrop into Gaza, with aircraft from France, Germany, Italy, and Spain joining the mission.

The Israeli army had earlier announced its consent for foreign countries to airdrop aid into Gaza. Previously, aid parachuted into the famine-stricken region had been criticized for falling on civilians and causing fatalities, with some parcels landing in the sea, prompting desperate civilians to rush to the shores.

Last week, the UN World Food Program (WFP) warned that one-third of Gaza's population had gone without food for several consecutive days due to the Israeli siege. WFP estimates indicate that one in four Palestinians in Gaza faces famine-like conditions, and 100,000 women and children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and has sealed all border crossings since March 2, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening the already dire conditions in the enclave. Palestinian officials have stressed the need for at least 600 aid trucks per day to meet the needs of the territory's 2.4 million people.

The Israeli army has been conducting a brutal offensive on Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of more than 60,300 Palestinians. The ongoing bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to severe food shortages.