US President Joe Biden on Friday announced plans for a military airlift of food and supplies to Gaza, a day after the deaths of Palestinians waiting in line for aid highlighted the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the enclave, Reuters reported.

Biden said the parachute drop would take place in the coming days, but did not provide further details.

Other countries, including Jordan and France, have already sent aid to Gaza.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, at least 576,000 people in the Gaza Strip – a quarter of the enclave’s population – are on the verge of starvation.

Gaza health authorities said Israeli forces killed more than 100 people trying to reach an aid convoy near Gaza City early Thursday, as Palestinians face an increasingly desperate situation after nearly five months of war.

Israel blamed most of the deaths on mobs that crowded around aid trucks, saying victims were trampled to death. An Israeli official also said troops later opened “limited fire” at the crowd, which was considered a threat.