5 killed, several injured after parachute fails to open during aid drop in Gaza

A failed humanitarian airdrop resulted in a tragedy north of Gaza City's Shti refugee camp on Friday, when a parachute malfunctioned, causing a pallet to crash into a group of civilians queuing for food. The incident led to the death of five individuals and injured several others.

The Gaza government media office, in a statement, criticised the airdrops as 'useless' and 'flashy propaganda', advocating instead for allowing food to pass through land borders. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported last month that a quarter of the population in Gaza, approximately half a million people, are facing the threat of famine.

The incident underscores the challenges of delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza amidst Israeli restrictions. The UN's main body in Gaza, UNRWA, stated that since January 23, they have been prohibited by Israeli authorities from transporting supplies to the northern part of the strip.

The World Food Programme (WFP) revealed on Tuesday that its first convoy to the north in two weeks was compelled to return by the military. Due to security threats, the WFP had ceased its delivery operations in Gaza.

In response to this situation, several countries, including Egypt, the United States, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, have initiated airdrops. Nevertheless, these efforts have been criticised by relief organisations, who consider them costly and ineffective methods of delivering food and medical supplies.

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