El Al airline resumes shipping discount for donations to Israeli army as Gaza war rages

The Israeli national airline, El Al, has reinstated a "discounted shipping" programme for "donations" being made to the Israeli army, who have been waging a brutal war in the Gaza Strip for over eight months.

Registered would-be donors can now send their donations to the military for $50 instead of $200, the Israeli airline and charities said, as cited by The Times of Israel on Tuesday, as the deadly onslaught continues to rage.

Individual donors, however, will not be allowed to send donations at a discounted price.

On Saturday, the Israeli national carrier reportedly said it would end the discount deal for donations, provoking outrage among Israelis and pro-Israelis outside of the country.

El Al said it stopped the the shipping discount as other cargo transport options that closed following the war have resumed their operations. The airline also added that the "need for donations" had decreased as the military has boosted its spending as of late.

The airline has reportedly delivered tens of thousands of duffel bags carrying donations to the Israeli army. The items include clothing, helmets, torch lights and other necessities.

The Israeli military has received such donations while the country deliberately hinders the delivery of aid into the Gaza Strip, which continues to suffer from dire conditions and high levels of food insecurity under Israeli attack and siege. UN agencies have repeatedly warned of a looming famine in the enclave, particularly in the north.

The El Al discount programme was created following the start of Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, on October 7.

Pro-Israeli charities, including the US-based Operation Israel, told the Times of Israel that the discount "matters now" as donations have lessened significantly over the past few months.

The Israeli military has been relentlessly bombing the Gaza Strip since October 7, killing at least 37,372 Palestinians as of Tuesday. The military, using weaponry and ammunition provided by the US, has flattened much of the Gaza Strip, rendering it almost unhabitable.

Gazans are suffering more than ever, amid food scarcity, telecommunications blackouts, and the spread of disease. UN agencies have called the enclave "hell on earth".