By : staff writer
Jordan Daily – Belgium, in close collaboration with the Jordanian Armed Forces and at the request of His Majesty King Abdullah, has successfully completed a series of airdrops in support of the people of Gaza, according to a statement made available to the Jordan Daily by the Belgian Embassy.
The operation, dubbed “Cerulean Skies”, was initially planned to last one week, from March 4 to March 12, with the aim of conducting three or four airdrops. However, the Belgian military, comprising around 45 personnel and an A400M aircraft, operated from Zarqa military airbase for almost two weeks, performing daily rotations. During this period, they operated nine airdrops, delivering a total of 183 tons of food packages sourced from Belgium and supplied by Jordan.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo visited Zarqa airbase on Saturday, March 16, to meet with the military personnel and express his support for Belgium’s efforts towards Gaza. During his visit to Jordan, he also met with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, and Sigrid Kaag, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza. De Croo emphasized the urgent need for Israel to provide more humanitarian access to Gaza, stating that tactics of starvation are “inadmissible.”
The statement highlighted the importance of these airdrops as a means to diversify the supply routes of humanitarian aid to Gaza and as a show of support to the people of Gaza. However, it reiterated Belgium’s continued advocacy for an “immediate ceasefire and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance” as the surest way to alleviate the needs of the people in Gaza and end the unfolding humanitarian tragedy.
As a next step in its support to Gaza, Belgium is now exploring ways to deliver medical supplies in the coming weeks, possibly with the help of its Jordanian partners, the statement concluded.
