Jordan Rejects Report on Profits from Gaza Aid Deliveries

Amman (Quds News Network)- Jordan has rejected a report by Middle East Eye (MEE) that accused it of profiting from international aid deliveries into Gaza.

The report, published last week, stated that Jordan charged thousands of dollars per aid truck and aircraft drop. It cited anonymous sources who revealed that the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) coordinated the deliveries and collected fees.

According to MEE, Jordan charged $2,200 per aid truck, $200,000 for each random airdrop, and $400,000 for targeted ones. The report said the aid came mostly from international and Jordanian NGOs, while the government’s direct contributions were minimal.

On Friday, the JHCO responded. It confirmed the $2,200 truck fee but said it covered fuel, insurance, operating costs, and maintenance. It denied making any profit.

JHCO officials also said that Jordan paid for 125 fully Jordanian airdrops. Friendly countries, they added, covered the cost of another 266 drops done in cooperation with Jordan.

The JHCO said the real costs of airdrops were even higher than MEE’s figures. It said random drops cost $210,000 each, and GPS-guided ones reached up to $450,000.

“Jordan has never profited from these operations,” JHCO stated.

It added that Jordan’s direct aid to Gaza cost “tens of millions” of dollars. Indirect costs to the state reached “hundreds of millions,” it said.

The statement accused MEE of trying to “tarnish Jordan’s image” with false and misleading claims.

Jordanian Senator Mohammad Dawoodia also commented. Speaking to state news agency Petra, he did not mention the report or Middle East Eye by name, but said some Western platforms have long used “lies, rumors, and distortions” to attack Jordan’s institutions.

“These campaigns only serve the Israeli occupation’s agenda,” he said.

Since Israel’s genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, Jordan has faced pressure from the public to support Palestinians. Massive protests erupted across the country.

In response, Jordan began airdropping aid into Gaza one month into the war. King Abdullah II personally joined one of the missions. The airdrops were coordinated with the Israeli army.

However, many Palestinians and aid workers have criticized the method. They say it is unsafe, ineffective, and a poor substitute for land deliveries.

Jordan says it has conducted nearly 400 airdrops and dispatched at least 140 land convoys. Each convoy needed Israeli approval before entering Gaza.

Aid groups say Gaza needs 500 trucks of aid per day, a number not reached since the genocide began.

On March 2, Israel reimposed a total blockade. No aid has entered Gaza since. UN officials now warn of “catastrophic famine levels.”