Twelve Palestinians Drown in Attempt to Reach Aid Supplies as Israel’s Closure of Gaza Border Leaves Population Struggling

Aid supplies were dropped from planes off the coast of the Gaza Strip, according to the Islamist Hamas. Twelve Palestinians drowned in the sea while trying to reach the packages that had fallen into the water off a beach in the northern part of the coastal area, as reported by the Hamas-controlled government’s media office. The incident took place on Monday afternoon and eyewitnesses stated that some of the victims were unable to swim, while others got caught in the ropes that were holding the packages together.

The northern Gaza Strip has been experiencing severe suffering among its civilian population during the ongoing Gaza war, which has been going on for more than five months. Aid deliveries by land are limited due to Israel’s closure of border crossings in this region. Additionally, fighting and chaotic conditions within this coastal area make it dangerous for trucks to travel.

Airlifts of relief supplies have been carried out by several countries including Jordan, Germany and USA for over a month now. However, aid organizations have pointed out that an airlift cannot fully replace transportation via land. The war was sparked by a brutal massacre carried out by terrorists from Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations on October 7th near Israel’s border with Gaza Strip.