The President of the German Red Cross, Gerda Hasselfeldt, has expressed reservations regarding the practice of airdropping humanitarian aid and advocated for overland transport into the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Hasselfeldt emphasized that significant quantities of aid are already positioned at the border with Gaza, ready for distribution via trucks. She argued that this overland route represents a more direct, efficient and secure method of delivering assistance to those in need, allowing for targeted allocation of resources.
Hasselfeldt urged all parties involved in the conflict to collaborate with impartial humanitarian organizations to facilitate a dignified and effective access to aid for the civilian population. She positioned air drops as a measure of last resort, highlighting the inherent risks – particularly in densely populated areas – of potential casualties. Furthermore, she questioned the likelihood of the most vulnerable individuals, such as the injured and children, receiving adequate aid through aerial delivery.
The Red Cross President underscored that ensuring stable and secure access to food, medical care and shelter for the population should be a paramount objective. Beyond basic necessities and food supplies, she stressed the urgent need for medical equipment, communication devices and vehicles to enable comprehensive improvements to the humanitarian situation.