israel Resumes Airdrops Amid Humanitarian Concerns in Gaza
Israel announced over the weekend of July 26 that it would recommence “material airdrops” into Gaza, delivering humanitarian supplies via air and re-establishing humanitarian corridors with the United Nations. Though, details regarding the specific drop zones and the scope of these corridors remain undisclosed by the Israeli military.
Joining these efforts, Jordan, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates are also preparing to contribute additional supplies to Gaza. Despite these initiatives, philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near east (UNRWA), has voiced meaningful concerns, characterizing airdrop plans as “expensive, inefficient, and perhaps dangerous.” Lazzarini highlighted the high costs associated with air transport and the frequent instances of dropped supplies being lost or falling into inaccessible areas. He also noted that such deliveries can lead to dangerous competition among refugees during collection. A previous airdrop in March 2024 tragically resulted in the deaths of five refugees and injuries to ten others when a parachute malfunctioned.
A Gaza resident, Hasan Al-Zalaan, described the aid delivered by air as “a humiliation to the Palestinians,” recounting his own experience of fighting for damaged canned food due to severe hunger.
Israel also stated its intention to implement a temporary “humanitarian suspension” in densely populated areas starting July 26. The duration of this suspension and specific details about any ceasefire zones have not been provided. Local observations suggest a lack of a genuine ceasefire, with the UN reporting that Israel’s “aid upgrade” has been in effect for only a week.
