SEAToday.com, Gaza - The Gaza government media office stated on Tuesday (3/26) that 12 people drowned while trying to reach for the airdropped aid that had fallen into the Mediterranean Sea off the northern Gaza coast near Beit Lahia, while another six were trampled to death.

The incident occurred on Monday (3/25) afternoon, as crowds of people ran towards the beach as the parcels crashed down on the shores and some into the water. A witness said that there was a strong current, and despite not being able to swim, some people still went into deep waters because they “want to eat and are hungry.”

The office statement warns that the airdrops pose a threat to the hungry Palestinians, calling them "offensive, wrong, inappropriate, and useless".

Meanwhile, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that three of the US airdropped aid bundles were reported to have malfunctioned parachutes, but she couldn’t confirm the reports of the drownings.