Basal Mahmoud, Gaza’s Civil Defence spokesman, has warned international donors that airdropping aid poses great risks for civilians.

The dropping of heavy parcels from the sky causes injuries and deaths when they fall on civilians in densely populated areas, Mahmoud said in a statement.

It also causes stampedes as hundreds of people gather at the sites where aid is dropped, leading to injuries, he added.

“We at the Palestinian Civil Defence call on international donor agencies and humanitarian organisations to adopt safe and organised methods for delivering aid, through land crossings and with field coordination that ensures it reaches those who deserve it without further loss of life,” he said.