As part of its global humanitarian efforts, the UAE delivered more than 40,000 tonnes of emergency aid to the Gaza Strip through a multi-faceted operation involving eight relief ships, 1,271 trucks and 414 flights, including 104 airdrops.
The UAE, working with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Cyprus, the United Nations and international donors, and partnering with American Refugees for the Near East (ANERA), successfully delivered 2,176 tonnes of food to Gaza by sea.
The partnership also enabled the delivery of 400 tonnes of food aid to north Gaza, directly benefiting 120,000 residents.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and World Central Kitchen have delivered 300 tons of food aid to northern Gaza via a maritime corridor for the first time, marking a major humanitarian achievement in the area.
Additionally, the UAE has pledged to donate $15 million to the Amalthea Fund launched by Cyprus to strengthen the maritime corridor initiative and ensure the continued flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The UAE’s efforts go beyond food aid: On July 28, a fourth relief ship arrived at Al Arish port carrying 5,340 tons of supplies, the largest single shipment since the UAE’s relief efforts began.
Additionally, the UAE has set up six desalination plants in the Gaza Strip, providing 1.2 million gallons of clean water daily, benefiting more than 600,000 people.
To address food insecurity, the UAE is deploying five automated bread machines and supplying flour to eight existing bread machines in the Gaza Strip, collectively meeting the daily needs of more than 72,000 people.
In the health sector, the UAE has undertaken significant efforts.
The two hospitals were established under the directives of UAE President HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The 200-bed field hospital in southern Gaza is staffed by more than 100 UAE medical professionals and has treated around 23,000 cases since its opening in December 2023.
Additionally, a 100-bed floating hospital docked at Al Arish port is expected to begin operations in February 2024 and serve more than 4,200 patients.
The UAE also evacuated 794 patients from Gaza for treatment in the UAE, along with 850 family members. The effort, carried out in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), underscores the UAE’s commitment to providing vital medical care to the Palestinian people, especially cancer patients and those with serious injuries.
In December 2023, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 2720, drafted by the UAE, calling for increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza and protection for UN and humanitarian workers. The UAE is allocating $5 million to support the newly appointed UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for the Gaza Strip.
In response to the dire situation in Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan allocated $20 million to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA), and another $10 million to support the health sector in collaboration with WHO through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative. An additional $11.7 million has been allocated to provide food assistance in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP).
The UAE’s “Tarahum for Gaza” campaign further demonstrates its far-reaching efforts, with 24,000 volunteers from 20 charities preparing more than 71,000 relief items, ensuring continued assistance to those most in need.
This far-reaching humanitarian effort underscores the UAE’s unwavering commitment to supporting the people of the Gaza Strip, addressing their most urgent needs and providing a lifeline as they face one of the most challenging humanitarian crises in recent history.
The operation reflects the UAE’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and underscores its determination to support vulnerable people amid the ongoing conflict.