King Abdullah of Jordan personally engages in Gaza aid airdrop operations

• The airdrop took place on February 6.
• The kingdom has conducted 11 airdrops, with two involving French and Dutch air forces.
• The king has a scheduled meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington on February 12.

State-owned Al Mamlaka broadcaster reported on Sunday that King Abdullah of Jordan participated in an airdrop of humanitarian aid to Gaza. A video depicted the monarch in military gear aboard a plane during the latest mission conducted by the Jordanian Air Force to deliver urgent medical supplies to field hospitals it operates in the war-torn enclave. According to official media, the latest airdrop took place on February 6.

The kingdom has conducted 11 airdrops, with at least two involving the French and Dutch air forces, to deliver medical aid.

Departing on Thursday, the king embarked on a tour of major Western capitals and scheduled a meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington on February 12 to lobby for an immediate ceasefire.

Jordan successfully persuaded Israel to permit the World Food Programme (WFP) to dispatch deliveries to Gaza through an alternate land route originating from Jordan, thereby alleviating pressure on the main Rafah border crossing, which has limited capacity.

With a border shared with the West Bank, Jordan is concerned about the potential spread of the Gaza conflict, fearing that broader violence instigated by armed settlers supported by the army could prompt a significant Palestinian exodus across the Jordan River.

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