Atleast 12 Palestinians drowned off the Northern Gaza coast near Beit Lahia on Monday while trying to reach airdropped parcels that had landed into the sea, according to local paramedics.
Footage obtained showed hundreds of Palestinians rushing to the site of the aid drop, with some venturing into the water as parcels crashed down in the shores of Gaza.
Abu Mohammed who witnessed the incident reported that the aid was dropped far from the coast after which multiple men who donot know how to swim drowned while trying to retrieve it.
Earlier this month, at least five people were killed and 10 others injured whenn airdropped aid packages fell in them in the Al Shati camp west of Gaza city.
Human rights groups have increasingly and repeatedly criticised airdrops as an inefficient and degrading way of getting aid to the Gazans instead of urging lsraeli authorities to lift controls on land crossing into the enclave.
Hamas had called on the western countries to end airdrops of aid into Gaza, warning that the humanitarian delivery method is offensive, wrong, inappropriate and useless. Hamas has from the onset been critical of airdrops, describing them as "useless" and not the best way to bring aid in.
Israel's severe restrictions on aid entering the Gaza strip have drained essential supplies, comdemning the entire population population of 2.2 million people to the risk of famine according to a UN backed report.
Humanitarian bodies including Oxfam and Human Rights Watch have warned lsrael is using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza, which is a war crime.
lsrael insists there is no limit on the amount of aid that can enter Gaza, but its inspection regime means relief is barely tickling in.
Still a U.S defense official said there had been an increased flow of aid into Gaza through various crossings, resulting in nearly 200 trucks a day in February.
The deaths came after Washington stepped aside and allowed the U.N Security Council to pass a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The resolution proposed by the 10 non-permanent members of the Security Council, demands an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadthan, the immediate and unconditional release of hostages and the urgent need to expand the flow of aid into Gaza.
Israeli foreign minister lsrael Katz, pushed back against the demand saying that his country would not abide by the U.N resolution.
Hamas attacked lsraeli on the 7th October last year killing about 1200 people and taking many as abductees for which lsrael has taken revenge and in advance has killed over 30,225 Palestinians.
