Biden approves military airdrops of aid into Gaza after chaotic encounter left more than 100 dead

By ZEKE MILLER, AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says the U.S. will begin air-dropping humanitarian assistance into Gaza, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops. The president announced the long-considered move on Friday after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday. Witnesses said nearby Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy. Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way.