Defense won’t confirm or deny role in death of Palestinian boy crushed by aid pallet

The Dutch Ministry of Defense declined to confirm or deny its involvement in the death of 15-year-old Palestinian boy Muhannad Zakaria Eid, who was crushed by a falling aid pallet near the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza during a humanitarian aid drop Saturday, according to Al Jazeera. When asked if the fatality resulted from a Dutch air drop, a ministry spokesperson said, “I can neither confirm nor deny that.”

For “operational reasons,” the ministry refused to disclose the exact time and location of its aid drops. The spokesperson reiterated that the Netherlands has been conducting one daily air drop of humanitarian supplies—totaling 14.5 tons per drop—over the Gaza Strip and plans to continue for two weeks.

Regarding whether a Dutch investigation into the incident is underway, the spokesperson gave no direct answer, stating only, “We continuously evaluate with partners who are also conducting drops.” Greece also conducted an aid drop on Saturday.

Al Jazeera reported that Eid was killed when a falling aid pallet struck him, and footage verified by the network shows people gathering around his body near the Netzarim Corridor. Eid’s brother told Reuters that his brother was killed by an aid box dropped from planes, saying, “They [the countries involved in the airdrops] cannot enter the aid through the crossing but they drop them over us and kill our children.”

The incident adds to growing criticism of air-dropped aid. Former UN Special Coordinator for Gaza Reconstruction Sigrid Kaag publicly condemned the method Friday, calling the aid “a sign of failure” and “political incompetence.” She described the airlifts as costly, ineffective, and unable to reach the most vulnerable, calling the volume of aid “a bad joke relative to the total need.” Multiple advocacy groups have also previously raised concerns over the safety risks of food drops.

The Gaza Government Media Office reported that since the start of the war in October 2023, at least 23 Palestinians have died and 124 have been wounded due to aid airdrops. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that such operations are dangerous, inefficient, and costly, urging Israel to allow steady humanitarian access through land crossings.