Dozens killed as Palestinians in Gaza scramble for aid from air and land

Dozens of Palestinians were killed or wounded on Monday as desperate crowds headed toward food distribution points and airdropped parcels in the Gaza Strip, according to witnesses and local health officials.

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Israel’s blockade and military offensive have made it nearly impossible to safely deliver aid, contributing to the territory’s slide toward famine nearly 22 months into the war with Hamas. Aid groups say Israel’s week-old measures to allow more aid in are far from sufficient. Families of hostages in Gaza fear starvation affects them too, but blame Hamas.

Several hundred Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since May while heading toward food distribution sites and aid convoys, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office. The military says it has only fired warning shots and disputes the toll.

As international alarm has mounted, several countries have airdropped aid over Gaza. The U.N. and aid groups call such drops costly and dangerous for residents, and say they deliver far less aid than trucks.

Scramble for airdropped aid

Many food parcels dropped by air have splashed into the Mediterranean Sea or landed in so-called red zones from which Israel’s military has ordered people to evacuate. In either case, Palestinians risk their lives to get flour and other basic goods.