The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday announced that it had carried out a humanitarian airdrop into the Gaza Strip in coordination with six other nations, according to The Jerusalem Post. A total of 126 packages containing food supplies were dropped over southern and northern Gaza as part of the operation.

This marks the first time Israel has worked jointly with three European countries on an airdrop. The mission included cooperation from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Spain, France, and Germany. It comes amid growing international criticism over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Just a week earlier, on July 27, Jordan and the UAE delivered 25 tons of aid to Gaza—reportedly the first such airdrop in months.

In response to allegations of intentional starvation, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir issued a firm denial. “These claims are part of a deliberate, coordinated, and deceitful effort to accuse the IDF of war crimes,” he said, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post. He placed responsibility for civilian suffering squarely on Hamas, saying, “IDF soldiers and commanders act morally and in accordance with international law.”

On the topic of hostage negotiations, Zamir made it clear that military operations would continue regardless of whether a partial deal is reached. “In the coming days, it will become clear if a deal is possible. If not, the fighting will go on,” he said.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, Israel has continued to carry out airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The IDF reports that it has significantly degraded the group’s capabilities—from an estimated 150,000 rockets and tens of thousands of launchers to just a few thousand launchers remaining.

Adding to the pressure on Hezbollah, a new Sunni-led regime in Syria has blocked Iran’s weapons transfers to the group—something the IDF describes as a major strategic blow. The military has also conducted five airstrikes on the border areas between Syria and Lebanon to further hinder Hezbollah’s logistics.

Since the ceasefire, the IDF says it has launched over 500 airstrikes on Hezbollah targets. As a result, the military now believes the threat of a full-scale ground assault by the group has been effectively neutralized, though isolated attacks may still occur.