In a tragic incident in the Gaza Strip this week, a video emerged showing an air drop of aid packages suffering from a parachute malfunction, resulting in the deaths of several individuals. Local reports initially claimed that the air drop came from a U.S. cargo plane, but the Pentagon has denied these allegations, stating that reports of injuries from a U.S. airdropped aid box are false.

However, CENTCOM later confirmed that they were aware of reports of civilians killed as a result of humanitarian airdrops and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The officials emphasized that contrary to some reports, the incident did not occur due to U.S. airdrops.

Video footage circulating on social media shows the air drop taking place at the al-Shati refugee camp, with several packages dropping without parachutes. Witnesses at the camp reported that five people died, and 10 others were injured as the packages fell on the roof of a house "like a rocket."

The United States had initiated a series of air drops earlier in the week to deliver tens of thousands of meals along the Gaza coastline. These drops were conducted with assistance from the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The deliveries were part of ongoing efforts by the U.S. and its partner nations to alleviate human suffering in the area.

The first air drop on Wednesday delivered 38,000 meals, followed by subsequent drops on Thursday and Friday, which delivered 41,000 "meal equivalents," 23,000 bottles of water, and 11,500 "meal equivalents" along with life-saving humanitarian aid. The Jordanian military source confirmed that none of their aircraft were involved in the fatalities and stated that a technical defect caused the parachutes to fail during the Friday airdrop.

In addition to the United States and Jordan, other countries including Egypt, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium have also conducted aid drops in the Gaza Strip over the past week, according to the BBC.

While the Gaza media office declared that airdrops were not the most effective means of aid delivery, President Biden seems to have taken note of the concerns. He is reportedly looking to build a temporary pier on the coast to facilitate increased aid delivery. The United Nations, on the other hand, has advocated for land deliveries as the most effective method but highlighted the difficulties in using the Rafah Crossing for passage.

As investigations continue into the tragic incident, there is a pressing need to ensure the safe and effective delivery of aid to the people in Gaza, who are facing dire humanitarian circumstances.