Mariah Cain, Staff Writer
Five people were killed and several others were injured on Friday after a parachute dropping aid into Gaza failed to open and the pallet crushed people in the crowd waiting. The United States began airdrops of aid into Gaza on March 2., but denied responsibility for the deaths on Friday. “We are aware of reports of civilians killed as a result of humanitarian airdrops. We express sympathies to the families of those who were killed. Contrary to some reports, this was not the result of US airdrops,” read the statement.
“Humanitarian workers always complain that airdrops are good photo opportunities but a lousy way to deliver aid,” said the International Crisis Group’s United Nations director Richard Gowan. “It is arguable that the situation in Gaza is now so bad that any additional supplies will at least alleviate some suffering. But this is at best a temporary band aid measure.”
