From the hatch of a US aircraft, the destruction wrought by months of conflict in the Gaza Strip stretched out below in grey piles of debris along the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, AFP reports.

The transport plane rumbled above the besieged territory, as airmen from the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron readied pallets of desperately needed food aid destined for Palestinians in northern Gaza.

But the three tonnes of humanitarian assistance provided by Jordan is just a “drop in the bucket” of what is needed, said co-pilot Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Anderson. “There are so many people that need aid out there,” he said, during the 10th US aid drop over the territory.

Gazans are experiencing dire shortages of food and other basic necessities more than five months into Israel’s “war” on Hamas, with the United Nations warning of looming famine as aid trickles in.