Investigating allegations that Spain shipped substandard humanitarian aid to Gaza
In a recent turn of events, a viral video has sparked controversy over the quality of humanitarian aid dropped into the Gaza Strip. The video, published on August 2, shows a Palestinian opening a bag of aid, allegedly air-dropped by Spain, containing sachets of supplies covered in mould. However, the facts surrounding this incident are still unclear.
The director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has emphasised the high cost of airdrops compared to truck deliveries, and called for political will to open the road crossings. Meanwhile, the Spanish foreign ministry has firmly denied the allegations, stating that all meals sent to civilians in Gaza were halal and in good condition.
The bag in question, if it was part of the aid rations donated by the Spanish government, contained 5,500 food rations designed to feed 11,000 people. The packet carries the branding of JOMIPSA, an Alicante-based company that provides food rations and humanitarian aid kits to European governments and the NATO alliance.
Photographs of food packs on the JOMIPSA website match those seen in the viral video. Several Spanish media have received pictures from Palestinians on the ground in Gaza claiming to show the aid packets being sold at markets. Testimonies shared with EFE confirm the Palestinian's account in the video, with the bags being sold for 350 shekels (around €90) on the markets and containing 24 sachets of foodstuff.
However, it's important to note that the search results do not provide any information about a similar event occurring in August 2021. The information available pertains to a different timeline, specifically August 2025, when Spain successfully completed a food drop operation in Gaza, delivering 12 tons of food aid to alleviate the humanitarian crisis there. Therefore, it is not possible to confirm or deny the claim based on the available information.
Amidst this controversy, Israel faces widespread condemnation after an Al Jazeera correspondent was killed in Gaza. The Israeli military has approved a plan for an expanded offensive in Gaza, according to a spokesperson. The Palestinian health ministry reports that at least 100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza.
Spain's foreign minister José Manuel Albares described the aid parachuted into the Strip as a "drop in the ocean" and called for aid to be allowed to enter in a "regular, sufficient and safe way". He emphasised that it's impossible to verify the origin of a package without the batch number, but that the Spanish company JOMIPSA had also sold supplies to other donor countries.
Images obtained by Catalan newspaper Diari ARA show bags matching those in the video being sold at a Gaza market. The Palestinian in the video claims that the bag was parachuted into the Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah areas and was being sold "in the markets" for the equivalent of €85.
As the investigation continues, it remains unclear whether the mouldy aid in the viral video is an isolated incident or part of a larger problem. The Spanish foreign affairs ministry has categorically denied any wrongdoing, stating that the aid was sent in good condition.
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