The UK dropped ten tonnes of aid on Gaza this week, leading to an outcry from local Hamas leadership as at least 12 Palestinians drowned trying to retrieve the drifting supplies at sea.
The desperate scenes unfolded on a beach in northern Gaza as residents, amid fears of impending famine due to Israel’s continued military campaign, raced to collect the floating aid parcels. In light of the tragic aftermath and further deaths caused by stampedes towards the aid, Hamas and the Swiss-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor have called for an immediate cessation of airdrop operations, requesting instead for increased access to aid through land crossings.
Hamas further demanded that Israel allow a larger influx of aid trucks into the territory. Unicef reinforced this request’s urgency, which stressed the need for aid via land routes to prevent an imminent famine. Despite the incident in Gaza, the U.S. National Security Council has vowed to continue efforts to deliver aid by road while also maintaining airdrop operations.
This incident is not the first time aid delivery tactics have ignited controversy. Frequently, the delivery vehicles themselves have proven lethal, leading to many causalities. Earlier this month, a U.S. aid drop crushed five Palestinians to death.
show less
