US President Joe Biden has announced that the United States is planning to airdrop aid supplies into the Gaza Strip amid continuing fighting between Israel and Hamas.

Biden made the remark at the opening of talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House on Friday.

He said of Gaza, "People are so desperate that innocent people got caught in terrible war, unable to feed their families." He added, "Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now."

Supply shortages are serious especially in the northern region because aid trucks can enter Gaza only through two checkpoints in the south.

Biden announced that the US is going to provide airdrops of additional food and supplies in the coming days.

He said his country will also seek to open up other avenues into Gaza, including the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver large amounts of humanitarian assistance.

White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said the airdrops would become a sustained effort, not a one-time measure.

Biden later answered a question from reporters about negotiations between Israel and Hamas to pause the fighting and release hostages. He said he is hoping a deal can be reached by the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts around March 10. He said the related parties are working hard, but are not there yet.