Killed by air-dropped food package fragments
Gaza refugees: “I want dignity, not help”
A tragedy occurred in which a 3-year-old child died in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, where war is raging. It is reported that the child died after being hit by debris while looking at relief supplies falling from the sky.
On the 22nd (local time), CNN reported that a Palestinian boy, Sami Ayad (3), was killed by a wooden plank at the Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip three days ago.
In an interview with the media, Ayad’s grandfather explained the situation at the time, saying, “I was having breakfast when the relief supplies ran out. I was sitting with my grandson, and the moment I left his side for a moment, the relief supplies fell on him.” It is said that Ayad, who was watching the falling relief supplies, was hit by a wooden plank and died.
Ayad’s grandfather complained, “There is no hospital here. I ran like crazy holding my (wounded) grandson, but he eventually died.” Ayad’s father also said, “My son was standing there telling me to look at the parachute,” and “My son ran away when he saw the parachute coming close.” Ayad’s family is also said to have suffered damage from being hit by the aid supplies being dropped. It is said that Ayad’s aunt and cousins were also injured in the face and feet by shrapnel. Currently, the international community is dropping relief supplies from the air using transport aircraft to the isolated refugees in the Gaza Strip. This was a measure for refugees facing a food shortage crisis, but as an unexpected tragedy unfolds, their anger is growing.
“We don’t want help, we want dignity,” Ayad’s grandfather said. “We are being humiliated and humiliated not only by Israel but also by the Arab countries, and enough is enough. They have no mercy for us.” “Our lives are filled with nothing but shame, death and fear,” Ayad’s uncle said. “We are humans, not animals that need food falling from the sky.”
Israeli authorities said that on the day Ayad died, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft dropped 81 food packages from the air. CNN reported that it contacted UAE authorities but did not receive a response. However, it was reported that a wooden box with relief supplies marked with the UAE flag was found in the refugee camp. Currently, operations to drop food and other relief goods are being carried out by the United States, the United Kingdom, and the UAE. According to statistics from Israel’s Palestinian civilian affairs organization, COGAT, about 10,000 pieces of aid have been airdropped to the Gaza Strip over the past few months. However, the number of relief supplies that can be procured by airdrop is extremely limited compared to the refugees, and there is also the side effect that the relief supplies sometimes fall in the wrong area and threaten refugees.
At one time, the U.S. and British forces also pursued a plan to transport large quantities of relief supplies through an amphibious landing operation along the coast. In fact, a large-scale mobile dock approached the coast of Gaza in mid-May, but actual installation failed due to worsening weather conditions. Ultimately, the U.S. military announced the official end of the operation in July. Human rights groups appeal that the food shortage can be solved only by opening a land-based relief goods import route currently controlled by the Israeli military.
Reporter Lim Joo-hyung skepped@asiae.co.kr
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