The Pentagon confirmed that three of the 18 packages it air dropped on Monday had parachute malfunctions and fell into the water just off the coast of the Strip.
Gaza aid dropped in sea leads to 18 deaths
Hamas has said 18 Palestinians have died after trying to retrieve desperately needed aid that was airdropped over northern Gaza.
A statement from Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office said twelve people drowned when they went into the sea to collect food packages, whilst six others were trampled to death in “stampedes” when other aid packages landed on the ground.
It calls for “an immediate end” to airdrops, calling them “offensive, wrong, inappropriate and useless”.
Video, obtained by Reuters, has emerged of Palestinians rushing to the coast after aid was dropped at a beach near the northern town of Beit Lahia on Monday.
Palestinians report 13 drowned while trying to get aid from the sea pic.twitter.com/L9nnBtFBzU
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Israel is under increasing pressure to allow more aid to Gaza via land as airdrops cannot meet the need for food.
Israel says it facilitated airdrops of 159 one-tonne packages of aid over northern Gaza on Monday.
The US says two C-17 aircraft dropped 46,000 “meals ready to eat” (MREs) over the north on Monday, while the UK says one of its A400M aircraft dropped 10 tonnes of water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned goods and baby formula.
Gaza aid drop malfunction
On Wednesday, the Pentagon confirmed that three of the 18 packages it air dropped on Monday had parachute malfunctions and fell into the water just off the coast of the Strip. However, US officials did not confirm if any Gazans were killed while trying to reach the aid.
Last week, Scott Paul of Oxfam America wrote on X: “Instead of indiscriminate airdrops in Gaza, the US should cut the flow of weapons to Israel that are used in indiscriminate attacks, push for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages, and insist that Israel uphold its duty to provide humanitarian aid, access, and other basic services.”
Melanie Ward of Medical Aid for Palestinians said the US, UK and others should “ensure that Israel immediately opens all crossings into Gaza for aid and aid workers to assist those in need”.
