In Gaza, a grim scene once emblematic of hope was suddenly stripped of any hope. Palestinian aid workers recently announced plans to use facial recognition to deliver food packages “the food‑targeting counterpart to the IDF’s algorithms that select whom to bomb,” critics quipped. The story is telling: in Syria, Gaza and beyond, drones or AI scanners are often sold as humanitarian innovation, yet they surveil and displace civilians. Under the banner of “cutting-edge solutions,” vulnerable communities are being reduced to data points, a new spin on colonial control.