Opinion: Air-dropped aid humiliates and endangers Palestinians - the siege must be lifted

Since Arab and western countries, including the US, began air dropping aid into Gaza, I have wondered: why are they not using land routes, as thousands of trucks stacked with vital humanitarian supplies sit on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing? 

According to a February report from Al Jazeera, aerial and satellite footage showed more than 2,000 aid trucks waiting to cross at Rafah. 

And why are these aid drops coming five months after Israel launched its war on Gaza? While this might seem like a humanitarian effort at first glance, there appear to be ulterior motives at play.

Since the war began last October, international appeals have mounted to bring lifesaving aid to besieged Palestinians in Gaza. But neither these appeals, nor the horrifying video footage that has emerged of starving civilians, has moved neighbouring countries to stop the Israeli atrocities that have killed more than 31,000 people and created conditions of widespread hunger.

Although a trickle of aid is still entering Gaza, it is nowhere near enough. Israel is deliberately depriving Palestinians in Gaza of the basic necessities of life. 

The recent wave of air-dropped aid came as a surprise to many, accompanied by loud media fanfare. A number of countries have taken part in aid drops, including Egypt, Jordan, France, the UAE, Qatar, and now the US. 

The Biden administration has also announced plans to build a pier on the coast of Gaza to deliver aid via sea - rather ironic, as the Americans simultaneously supply missile systems to Israel. The US is offering humanitarian aid to a population it has helped to devastate. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.

Read more: Air-dropped aid humiliates and endangers Palestinians - the siege must be lifted by Ghada Alhaddad