23-Year-Old Princess in Military Uniform Shows Unique Presence... Participates as Pilot in Airborne Operation

The King's Third Daughter... Jordan's First Female Military Pilot
Jordan Supplies Goods by Air Drop After Border Closure

Princess Salma of Jordan participated in an airlift operation to deliver emergency medical supplies to the northern Gaza Strip in Palestine. Princess Salma is the third daughter among the four children of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania.

On the 15th (local time), the UAE daily newspaper Gulf Today reported that Princess Salma took part in the fifth aerial supply drop operation conducted by the Jordanian Air Force the previous day to deliver urgent medical supplies to the Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip. Photos and videos were also released showing Princess Salma in military uniform posing and conversing with other soldiers inside a military aircraft.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In response, Queen Rania posted on her Instagram, "May God bless Salma and everyone participating in the emergency medical supply drop in northern Gaza alongside the Jordanian Air Force comrades." King Abdullah II and Queen Rania have four children: Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah (28), Princess Iman (26), Princess Salma, and Prince Hashem (18).

Princess Salma, 23 years old this year, graduated from the International Academy School in Amman, Jordan's capital, in 2018 and then studied at the University of Southern California in the United States. She later completed aviation training in Jordan and became the country's first female military pilot in 2020. She currently holds the rank of lieutenant in the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

Meanwhile, the war that began on October 7 when the Palestinian armed group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel has continued for over two months. As of the 13th, a total of 18,700 people have died, with approximately 7,000 presumed dead or missing.

After the Israeli military attacked ambulances within the Gaza Strip, leading to the closure of the only evacuation route at the Egyptian Rafah border, Jordan has been supplying aid to refugees via air drops using aircraft.

Princess Salma (center) is talking with other military officers at Marka Military Airport in Jordan.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Jordan shares a border with Israel and maintains relatively active government-level exchanges. It was the second Arab country, after Egypt, to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

However, Jordan has raised its voice in criticism as Israel continues to completely blockade the Gaza Strip and does not reduce the intensity of its attacks. The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement in November announcing the recall of its ambassador to Israel in protest against Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Jordan also led the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution on the 27th of last month, calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to allow humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip.