At least 18 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip today after an aid airdrop malfunctioned, Gaza’s Government Media Office said.
The fatalities included 12 people who drowned in the sea in the northern Gaza Strip and six in a stampede while gathering to obtain aid, the office said in a statement.
“The aid airdrops pose a real threat to the lives of hungry Palestinians,” the statement warned.
It said some aid fell into the sea, inside Israel or in war zones.
“This all put the lives of people in real danger,” the office added.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip since last October, leaving most of its population, particularly residents of the north, on the verge of starvation.
As Tel Aviv maintained its siege on the enclave, several countries began to airdrop humanitarian aid into several areas of the enclave to avert the famine.
Some 23 Palestinians have already died as a result of starvation due to the man-made famine imposed on them by Israel.
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