U.S. military flights with critical aid bound for Gaza to begin arriving in Egypt

Washington — The first of three flights facilitated by the U.S. military is arriving in Egypt on Tuesday with medical supplies, food and winter supplies bound for civilians in Gaza, as the region enters its rainy season, senior U.S. administration officials told reporters. 

The flights are in addition to the trucks arriving in Gaza each day with assistance, as the U.S. tries to curb the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, which has been sealed off by Israel since the attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7. A senior administration official said that since President Biden visited the region in October, more than 2,000 trucks have been delivered with food, water, medical assistance, shelter supplies and fuel. Mr. Biden has made it clear that, although the U.S. backs Israel in its fight against Hamas, the United States is committed to helping Palestinian civilians with basic needs.

"From the president on down, we understand that what is getting in is nowhere near enough for normal life in Gaza, and we will continue to push for additional steps, including the restoration of the flow of commercial goods, and additional basic services," one of the senior administration officials said on a call with reporters.