The United States said on Tuesday it would continue airdrops of aid to Gaza, despite pleas from Hamas to stop the practice after it said 18 people had died trying to reach food packages, AFP reported.
The terrorist organization and the Swiss-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said six people were killed in stampedes and 12 others drowned off the Gazan coast trying to salvage airdropped aid packages.
Hamas in a statement called for "an immediate end to airdrop operations" and "the immediate and rapid opening of land crossings".
The US National Security Council said in a statement later on Tuesday they would continue trying to get aid in on the road.
But the statement added that airdrops were "one of the many ways that we are helping to provide desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and we will continue to do so".
The US recently began airdropping aid to Gaza, having warmed up to the idea after Jordan conducted several rounds of such airdrops.
The first airdrop took place in early March and saw US C-130 aircraft dropping 38,000 meals along the Gaza coastline. There have been several other rounds since.
Earlier this month, Hamas officials claimed that five people were killed when they were struck by American airdropped aid packages whose parachutes failed to open.
The US has also announced plans for a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza that would receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelter and provide aid to the Strip.
A US official said last week that the United States is aiming for the pier to be ready before May 1.