GAZA — The United Nations has sharply criticized the reliance on airdrop deliveries as a response to Gaza’s escalating famine, calling them “expensive, inefficient and a distraction” from the deeper crisis created by ongoing siege and restricted access to humanitarian aid.
UN Sounding Alarm Over Aid Strategy
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned airdrops supported by Israel and the U.S., warning that they can endanger hungry civilians and detract from efforts to negotiate full access through crossings. Lazzarini argued that at least 6,000 aid trucks, already queued in Jordan and Egypt, should be allowed into Gaza daily—under UN management—for safe, dignified, and efficient distribution. He further described the current Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) system as “a death trap” that obscures reality behind a façade of aid.
Famine Deepens Amid Aid Blockade
The latest UN and aid agency reports underscore a mounting humanitarian catastrophe:
- Over 59,000 deaths in Gaza since October 2023, with more than 100 deaths in July alone from starvation and malnutrition, especially affecting children.
- Hospitals overwhelmed with severely malnourished children such as 5-month-old Zainab, whose weight had fallen below her birth weight—unable to access specialized formula.
- The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid centres have become hazardous: over 1,000 Palestinians killed while queuing for aid, further worsening the crisis.
Humanitarian agencies including UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and others describe Gaza’s current hunger as “manufactured,” warning that any solution requires reopening crossings, ending obstruction, and enabling large-scale humanitarian delivery.
Why This Matters
| Aspect | Impact |
|---|---|
| Aid Strategy Failure | Airdrops are being used instead of efficient truck deliveries, increasing danger and reducing reach. |
| Humanitarian Catastrophe | Starvation continues unchecked, with widespread child malnutrition and thousands of deaths. |
| Blockade as Cause | UN experts call the aid blockade a form of “weaponizing starvation” under international law. |
| International Legitimacy | Distrust grows over the GHF system that bypasses UN protocols and fails vulnerable populations. |
