US makes first Gaza aid airdrop as mediators seek truce deal

The US has carried out the first of what it said would be a series of humanitarian airdrops of food into Gaza, as aid agencies warned of a growing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian enclave in the absence of a ceasefire deal.

Three C-130 US military planes delivered more than 38,000 meals into a territory where the United Nations says at least 576,000 people are one step away from famine conditions. Palestinians posted videos on social media showing boxes of aid being dropped. Jordanian forces also participated in the operation.

The White House has said the airdrops would be a sustained effort, and that Israel supports them. Critics say airdrops are far less effective than aid deliveries by truck.

US President Joe Biden announced plans for the US airdrop on Friday, a day after the deaths of Palestinians queuing for aid drew renewed attention on the humanitarian catastrophe.

With talks in Egypt set to resume on Sunday, a senior US official said the framework for a deal on a six-week ceasefire was in place, with Israel's agreement, and depended on Hamas agreeing to release hostages.

"The hostages have to be released," the official told reporters. "The deal is basically there. But I don't want to create expectations one way or the other."

Israel and Hamas have been negotiating via mediators including Egypt and Qatar. Two Egyptian security sources said delegations from both sides were expected in Cairo on Sunday to resume indirect talks.

But Israel's Ynet news cited an unnamed senior official as saying Israel would not send a delegation to Cairo until it received a full list of hostages who were alive.

There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas.

US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday, a White House official told Reuters.

In Jerusalem, thousands of Israelis marched to demand the release of about 134 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Protesters, led by families of hostages seized during Hamas' deadly rampage through southern Israel on October 7, arrived at the city at sundown.

Biden has said he hopes a ceasefire will be in place by the holy month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10.