The US military is continuing with near-daily airdrops of aid over northern Gaza in addition to efforts to build a temporary pier to receive aid by sea.

The United States has been the largest provider of aid to Gaza since October 7, with more than $180 million in US assistance so far.

On March 25, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted the 17th airdrop of humanitarian assistance into northern Gaza since March 2, dropping more than 46,000 US meals ready to eat.

The joint operation involved two US Air Force C-17 aircraft and US Army soldiers who specialize in aerial delivery of humanitarian supplies.

The previous day, CENTCOM and the Royal Jordanian Air Force, using a US Air Force C-130 aircraft, conducted a combined airdrop that included 13,080 Jordanian-provided meals.

The success of the operations stems in part from Gazan civilians' compliance with the delivery procedures put in place by US military personnel who are delivering the aid and ensuring the safety of civilians receiving it.

"The United States will continue precautions to reduce risk, like limiting pallet weight, identifying drop zones with fewer people and sending messages to civilians before dropping the aid," Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said March 8.

The US military is also planning to build an offshore pier and causeway connecting it to Gaza's Mediterranean coast to enable humanitarian aid by sea.

Eight US ships are en route to build the landing jetty.

The pier could take up to 60 days to be operational and require about 1,000 US troops, according to the Pentagon.

Once in place, the pier should be capable of providing about two million meals a day, Ryder said, stressing that no US forces will be on the ground in Gaza.

Flooding the market

The maritime corridor and airdrops are part of the Biden administration's efforts to flood the zone with aid.

By continuously bringing in assistance from air, sea and land, "you demonetize these commodities," a senior US official said on March 2.

The United States is the largest foreign aid donor in the world, accounting for nearly 23% of total development assistance from major donor governments in 2019, according to a 2022 Congressional Research Service report.

US foreign assistance has reached more than 150 countries and territories across the world, including Japan, where the US Army delivered supplies to communities devastated by an earthquake in January.

The United States also remains the largest donor to the United Nations, with US contributions reaching 22% of the body's budget for 2024.