At least 11 injured following Israeli airdrops intended for displaced individuals amid escalating hunger crisis in Gaza.
Reports indicate that at least 11 Palestinians sustained injuries when aid pallets dropped from Israeli aircraft landed directly on tents occupied by displaced residents in northern Gaza, according to medical officials.
On Saturday, the Israeli military announced a humanitarian airdrop aimed at facilitating the distribution of aid within the Gaza Strip, in light of ongoing humanitarian concerns.
However, local sources revealed to Al Jazeera that some pallets landed perilously close to al-Rasheed Road, a critical coastal roadway that stretches the length of the enclave from the north down to the south.
Strikingly, many of the aid pallets were released in locations far removed from displacement sites, often landing near Israeli military positions.
In response to mounting international pressure, the Israeli military also began implementing a daily “tactical pause” in its operations in select areas of Gaza, establishing new corridors for humanitarian aid.
The Palestinian political group Hamas criticized these airdrop operations and the newly designated aid routes as a “symbolic, deceptive tactic designed to enhance Israel’s image on the global stage.” In a statement, Hamas accused the Israeli government of dodging calls to lift the blockade and ending the starvation strategy against the Palestinian population.
Hamas stated that the delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza is not a privilege but a fundamental right and an urgent requirement to alleviate the dire humanitarian conditions caused by what they describe as a brutal occupation.
They placed the blame squarely on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of orchestrating policies that have resulted in significant civilian casualties, characterizing his actions regarding aid as “clear-cut war crimes.”
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, noted that previous airdrops have been ineffective, failing to reach adequate numbers of people and often resulting in chaos and violence.
“These airdrops further support our claim that Gaza has become a testing ground for military strategies; they are implementing various tactics with each action,” he explained.
Aid organizations remain skeptical about the feasibility of airdrops to provide sufficient food to combat the growing hunger crisis among Gaza’s population of over two million. They view these efforts as a “grotesque distraction.” In the past, Western and Arab governments attempted similar airdrops in 2024 when ground access was restricted; however, humanitarian experts regard them as inadequate.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), stated, “Airdrops cannot counteract the intensifying famine. They are costly, ineffective, and can pose deadly risks to already vulnerable civilians.”
Nevertheless, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support last week for reviving airdrop operations, pledging collaboration with Jordan to ensure their implementation. The United Arab Emirates also announced it would recommence airdrops “immediately.”
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has severely worsened recently, prompting over 100 non-governmental organizations to raise alarms about the spread of “mass starvation.”
In the meantime, the Israeli military maintains that it imposes no restrictions on the flow of aid trucks into Gaza, claiming that UN agencies and relief groups are not effectively gathering the aid once it reaches the territory. Contrarily, humanitarian agencies argue that the military imposes stringent regulations that tightly control access within Gaza.