As family mourns toddler killed by airdrop, relief agencies again condemn the aid method

 A 3-year-old Palestinian boy was killed by airdropped aid in the city of Khan Younis on Saturday, as the humanitarian crisis spawned by Israel’s war with Hamas compounds severe hunger across Gaza.

The family was eating breakfast when pallets dropped from airplanes and careened towards the displacement area, Sami Ayyad, the grandfather of the boy, told CNN.

Family members tried to take cover in their tents — but the falling parcel killed Sami instantly, Ayyad recalled. Sami’s aunt and cousin were also wounded on their foot and face, respectively, Ayyad said.

“I was sitting here with the boy, and the moment I left him … the package fell on him,” Ayyad said. “There was only a second between me and him. I carried him and started running.

“We have no hospitals. I ran like crazy, but the boy died instantly. I couldn’t save him. Blood started coming out of his nose and mouth,” he added.

CNN footage from the aftermath shows blood stains on the ground, as Ayyad points to the area where Sami was killed. Family members can be seen congregating, their eyes welling up with tears. Elsewhere, people walk barefoot among a sea of tents made of flimsy sheeting.

A number of countries have airdropped aid into Gaza, including the United States, United Kingdom, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Human rights agencies have repeatedly condemned airdrops as an inefficient way of getting aid to Gaza, instead urging Israeli authorities to lift controls on land crossings. CNN has previously reported on aid drops killing people in search of food in Gaza.

“We don’t want aid. We want dignity,” said Ayyad.

“Enough with the humiliation and insult that we are receiving from the Arabs, not just the Israelis. Those who have no mercy on us — look at our children, our women, our elderly.”