Airdropped Aid Ends Up Killing 5 in Gaza

Airdrops of humanitarian aid have been criticized as ineffective, costly, and dangerous—with that last point coming into focus with news that at least five people were killed Friday when an airdropped aid package fell on them in Gaza. CBS News reports by way of the Hamas-run Ministry of Health and an eyewitness that the package's parachute did not fully deploy; two children are said to be among the dead. CNN reports that the incident happened in the Al Shati refugee camp, located to the west of Gaza City.

It's unclear which nation facilitated the drop, which reportedly left 10 people injured. The US, Jordan, Egypt, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium all dropped aid on Friday; a US defense official tells CBS a preliminary review indicates the package in question was not a US one.