Israel drops aid over the Gaza Strip – criticism remains loud

Tel Aviv. The Israeli military has resumed airdrops of humanitarian aid. Shortly after the army's announcement, Israeli media reported, citing Palestinian sources, that the first airdrops had already taken place.

The Israeli military agreed to take "humanitarian pauses" in densely populated areas to allow for the distribution of aid. At the same time, the army emphasized that it would continue to take action against "terrorists" in the areas of operation.

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The Israeli Foreign Ministry announced such a "humanitarian pause" for Sunday morning. It would apply to humanitarian corridors and busy centers, according to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Platform X. According to the military, humanitarian corridors are intended to facilitate the delivery of food and medicine by the United Nations.

The first airdrop of relief supplies reportedly included seven pallets of food, including flour, sugar, and canned goods. The operation is being carried out in coordination with international aid organizations, it was stated.

The Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates also announced in a post on the X platform that airdrops of aid supplies would “resume immediately.”

However, according to aid workers, delivery by air is considered the most expensive and ineffective form of humanitarian aid delivery - also because it usually involves relatively small quantities of food.

Approximately two million Palestinians live in the Gaza Strip, most of whom are in urgent need of aid. Airdrops are also considered dangerous because they can injure people on the ground.

Despite fierce international criticism, Israel is currently allowing very little aid into the sealed-off coastal strip. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday of a deadly hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip. Numerous other aid organizations are also warning of this. Israel denies the threat of a deadly hunger crisis and instead calls it a campaign by the Islamist Hamas.

The Israeli military also announced that a drinking water treatment plant in the Gaza Strip had been reconnected to the Israeli power grid. The army was prepared to grant humanitarian truces in densely populated areas. At the same time, the military emphasized that the fighting was not over. Operations in the Gaza Strip to free all hostages and defeat Hamas would continue.

RND/dpa