Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, has denounced the reliance on airdropped aid in Gaza, warning that such measures are a dangerous substitute for opening land crossings. He described the practice as “a costly smokescreen,” arguing that it risks injuring desperate civilians scrambling for supplies while doing little to address the scale of need.

Lazzarini highlighted that thousands of aid trucks are stranded in neighbouring countries, unable to enter due to Israel’s continued blockade. He stressed that only land-based access can deliver the quantity of food, medicine, and essentials required for Gaza’s two million residents, many now facing extreme hunger.

Since October 2023, over 120 Palestinians, including dozens of children, have died from starvation and malnutrition, with the death toll accelerating in recent weeks. Aid organisations insist that lifting the siege is the only way to halt the famine and avert further loss of life.

Calls are growing louder for humanitarian corridors to be opened immediately, as Gaza’s population continues to endure nearly two years of siege, bombardment, and deprivation. Without urgent action, international agencies warn, the humanitarian disaster will only deepen.