Posts shared on X claim that U.S. airdropped aid packages killed five Palestinians in Gaza.
At least 5 citizens from Gaza were killed when aid packages were dropped by US planes: reports pic.twitter.com/LG7lkqBzQr
— Yosef Yisrael (@yosefyisrael25) March 8, 2024
Verdict: Unsubstantiated
It is unclear who dropped the packages that killed five people. A U.S. defense official and the Department of Defense (DOD) denied the claim to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
Social media users and media outlets have claimed an American aid package killed five Palestinians in Gaza during an airdrop on Mar. 8. The Jerusalem Post and the Telegraph both reported that the aid package was American, though the former cited Israeli media.
This claim, though, is unsubstantiated. Officials from the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health and witnesses told CBS News and CNN that an aid package killed five people and injured several others after the parachute failed. However, they could not identify who dropped the packages.
A U.S. defense official and the Department of Defense (DOD) denied the claim to Check Your Fact. “We can confirm that the U.S. did not cause fatalities during our aid drop in Gaza,” the U.S. defense official stated.
The DOD said is a statement that “[r]eports of injuries in Gaza from a U.S. airdropped aid box are false.” (RELATED: Video Does Not Show Haifa Port On Fire)
Video of the packages falling was posted to social media.
Aid airdropped into Gaza experienced a failure, killing five Palestinians earlier today. pic.twitter.com/XK6Eq4ZbIU
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) March 8, 2024
CBS News reported that the “U.S., Jordan, Egypt, France, the Netherlands and Belgium” dropped packages on Mar. 8, as the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens. Biden announced during his State Of The Union speech Mar. 7 that the U.S. would build a temporary port in Gaza to help deliver humanitarian aid in the region.
U.S. Central Command said in a Mar. 8 update that a C-130 dropped 11,500 meal equivalents in northern Gaza during a “combined humanitarian assistance airdrop” with the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
March 8 USCENTCOM, Royal Jordanian Air Force combined humanitarian aid drop
U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on March 8, 2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m. (Gaza time) to provide… pic.twitter.com/YqZM96FGc7
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 8, 2024
“The DoD humanitarian airdrops contribute to ongoing U.S. and partner-nation government efforts to alleviate human suffering. These airdrops are part of a sustained effort, and we continue to plan follow on aerial deliveries,” the statement partially reads.
As of publishing time, Check Your Fact could not verify who dropped the aid packages. The Telegraph later updated its article to note that the US denied its air drops killed people.
Check Your Fact reached out to the Jerusalem Post and the Telegraph for comment.
Editor’s note: This story relies on developing information and the verdict may change. This article was also updated to note that the Telegraph updated its story to note that the US denied its air drops killed people.