A discussion with Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International, about the inefficiency of airdrops for delivering aid, particularly in the context of the recent airdrops into Gaza by U.S. military planes.
Key Points
Airdrops are a last resort method of aid delivery
Used in situations where other forms of aid delivery are impossible
Reflects frustration with obstruction of aid by the Israeli government
Pros
Can be useful in completely physically inaccessible areas
Cons
Highly inefficient and costly compared to overland transport
Provides a minimal amount of aid relative to the need