Race against time: Activists rally for urgent #AirDropAidForGaza campaign to save northern Gaza

Amman (Quds News Network) – With time running out to save the lives of between 600,000 to 800,000 innocent Palestinian civilians grappling with a growing famine in northern Gaza, a delegation of British humanitarian workers has arrived in Jordan to push forward a crucial petition—#AirDropAidForGaza.
The urgency of their mission stems from the catastrophic situation unfolding in northern Gaza, where a strict Israeli military siege has led to an unfolding famine, pushing the remaining population of the war-torn region to the brink of starvation.
Sarah Wilkinson, an outspoken British grassroots activist leading the delegation, said they came to the kingdom with a singular mission: to mobilize support for a petition that demands Palestine’s neighboring countries, including Jordan, to airdrop desperately needed food supplies to the region.
In an exclusive interview with Quds News, Wilkinson expressed the critical nature of their cause, stating, “We are asking for saving the lives of the estimated 700,000 Palestinians stranded in northern Gaza who are starving to death. We are running out of time, and we are asking for a food drop in northern Gaza.”
The delegation argues that time is of the essence, emphasizing that even a permanent ceasefire won’t be enough to avert the looming catastrophe. Reports from the region indicate that people are resorting to drinking seawater and saltwater, leading to the spread of diseases and epidemics.
Wilkinson stressed, “Even if there is a ceasefire and there are no more bombardments, people will die because of these diseases. There are no medicines, and there is actually no one to administer the medicine.”

The major hurdle hindering aid delivery is the Israeli military siege, compounded by the destruction of infrastructure, including main roads, by Israeli airstrikes. Trucks carrying essential supplies cannot reach northern Gaza, leaving the people there without access to food and medical assistance.
“There are no roads, no infrastructure, and the only way now to send food there is through air drop,” Wilkinson explained.
The #AirDropAidForGaza campaign seeks not monetary donations but signatures on the petition, believing that the strength of their cause lies in the collective will of the people.
Wilkinson conveyed, “We are not asking for money, we are not asking for donations, we are just asking people to sign the petition. And by people’s power, the more names we add to the #AirDropAidForGaza campaign, then the more powerful it proves that this is what people want.”
During their time in Jordan, the activists found considerable support, but they emphasize the need for a global movement. Wilkinson urged, “Everyone must get to the border, not just people in Jordan. Jordan took the lead, but everyone should go to the border [of Gaza] from every country, very very fast because we barely have the time to try another country.”
Leila Hatoum, a Lebanese journalist who joined the British delegation to Jordan, explained, “We started in Jordan not only because it was the nearest country [to Palestine], but because Jordan was the first country to drop food to Gaza. So far, Jordan conducted nine humanitarian drops onto Gaza, two of which in the north and seven in the south. These drops included medical aid.”
Highlighting the logistical advantages of air drops, Hatoum pointed out, “Air drops are better and much easier than sending aid through Rafah and Karm Abu Salem border crossings, as trucks carrying aid would usually take months to enter Gaza through these ordinary means.”
Shameen Suleman, a British activist also part of the delegation, shed light on the lack of awareness in the United Kingdom regarding the dire situation in Gaza.
“People in the United Kingdom are not aware of this [famine in Gaza]. The mass media like Sky News, BBC, don’t talk about this,” she lamented.
Suleiman underscored the complexities of aid distribution, revealing that traditional means are hindered by Israeli restrictions, stating, “In traditional means, it is the Israelis who would check up everything before being allowed into Gaza, and they are the ones who decide what to allow and what to not allow. Therefore, airdrop is now the most viable and workable option.”
Nearly 4 months into the relentless Israeli war of genocide on the Gaza Strip, the residents of the northern region teeter on the brink of a genuine famine. Those who survived the indiscriminate Israeli bombardment now face the threat of death not by bombs but by starvation, as affirmed by Ismail Thawabteh, the General Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza.
The signs of famine emerged when the canned goods, upon which Gazans relied for sustenance since the start of the aggression, disappeared from the markets. Following that, wheat flour vanished, prompting Palestinians to resort to grinding corn and barley earmarked for animal feed.