On Friday, President Joe Biden announced that the United States will conduct its initial military airdrop of food and supplies into Gaza. This decision follows the tragic deaths of numerous Palestinians who were in line for assistance, bringing attention to the escalating humanitarian crisis in the densely populated coastal enclave. Biden’s team stated that the administration will collaborate with Jordan and other nations to airdrop essential supplies into Gaza, aiming to alleviate the hunger and suffering exacerbated by the Israeli-Hamas conflict, which has claimed over 100 lives since October 7th. The White House National Security Council coordinator who oversees U.S. diplomacy to the Middle East, John Kirby, didn’t offer a precise timetable for the U.S. airdrop. Still, he did say it will be carried out in the coming days.

The administration had been exploring the possibility of airdrops for months. Still, it took a lot of work to find a way that would be both safe and effective in such a densely populated area. The administration has been urging Israel to open more crossings into Gaza, and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power has met with leaders of the main Palestinian political factions to discuss ways to deliver aid through the territory.

But Israel hasn’t budged, and the United Nations warned this week that about a quarter of the population in the enclave is one step away from famine. The U.S. has also been negotiating for months with the Palestinians, Hamas, and Qatar to broker a temporary pause in fighting of about six weeks to allow more aid to flow into Gaza.

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According to Kirby, Biden’s decision to authorize the airdrop was driven by the “acute need for assistance” in Gaza. He added that the U.S. will continue to push for the Netanyahu government to open more crossings into Gaza.

Critics, however, argue the airdrop is a symbolic gesture that doesn’t address the crisis. It’s expensive and inefficient and will only bring in a fraction of the aid that would be delivered through truck convoys. They point out that other countries, including Jordan and France, have already carried out similar drops.

It will also be a challenge to ensure that the airdrops reach their intended recipients in Gaza, where the ongoing war already complicates the distribution. The Pentagon will work with humanitarian groups that are based in the region to determine how to deliver the supplies, Kirby said. But he said the administration is still trying to persuade Israel to let those trucks through, too. That could be easier to accomplish if the Obama administration could convince Israel that a long-term truce is in its interest. But a full-scale break with Israel is risky for the Biden administration, especially in an election year in which it faces criticism from Arab and Muslim Americans and young progressives who want the administration to soften its support of Israel.