Palestinian Child Survived a Year of Israeli War on Gaza, Then Was Killed by UAE Aid Drop

CNN highlighted the tragic story of Sami Iyad, a 3-year-old Palestinian boy who survived a year amid Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, only to be killed by an aid drop from the UAE. The incident occurred as UAE planes dropped aid over the same area, prompting outrage from Sami’s family.

Sami’s grandfather recounted to CNN how they were having breakfast when wooden platforms fell from the planes and veered toward their area. Despite attempts to hide, Sami was struck directly, losing his life instantly. Other family members, including Sami’s aunt and cousin, sustained injuries.

“We were just sitting, and in a second, the package fell on him,” his grandfather shared. “I carried him and ran, but he was already gone.”

Expressing his frustration, he stated, “We don’t want aid; we want dignity. Enough humiliation from both Israelis and Arabs alike.” He emphasized that they are “human, not animals to have food dropped from the sky.”

The incident sparked widespread anger as many criticized the effectiveness of air-dropping aid in Gaza, with aid boxes also falling from planes operated by the US, UK, Jordan, and the UAE. According to a UN-backed report, severe restrictions on essential supplies have left Gaza’s 2.2 million residents at risk of starvation, with 1.84 million already facing critical food insecurity.

Human rights groups have condemned aerial aid drops as inadequate for delivering supplies to Gaza. Aid organizations continue to urge Israel to lift the restrictions on ground access, calling the aerial approach unsafe and undignified.

Medical Aid for Palestinians’ Gaza director, Fikr Shaltout, accused Israel of “using starvation as a weapon.” Shaltout noted the irony of a child surviving over a year of Israeli attacks, only to lose his life to a misdirected food drop—a “complete tragedy,” he said.

Earlier reports revealed that failed aid drops had previously resulted in casualties. Investigative platform Ecad recently implicated the UAE in an earlier botched aerial drop that led to multiple fatalities. Analysis showed that UAE’s C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules aircraft, used for the drops on March 8-9, were likely responsible.

Gaza’s Civil Defense confirmed that five people lost their lives and others were injured due to incorrect drops by aid planes northwest of Gaza on March 8.