Emirati commander leading Gaza airdrop effort proud to help Palestinian 'brothers'

The National spoke to Lt Col Saeed Al Shamsi at Al Arish International Airport as another crucial aid mission prepared to depart

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  Aid is loaded on to a military plane at Al Arish International Airport, Egypt, to be dropped over Gaza. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Aid is loaded on to a military plane at Al Arish International Airport, Egypt, to be dropped over Gaza

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  Aid is loaded on to a military plane at Al Arish International Airport, Egypt, to be dropped over Gaza

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  Aid is loaded on to a military plane at Al Arish International Airport, Egypt, to be dropped over Gaza

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  Aid is loaded on to a military plane at Al Arish International Airport, Egypt, to be dropped over Gaza

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An Emirati pilot leading UAE efforts to parachute crucial humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip has told of his pride at being able to offer a lifeline to embattled Palestinians caught up in the war with Israel.

Lt Col Saeed Al Shamsi, commander of the country's airdrop campaign, on Thursday spoke to The National at Al Arish International Airport in Egypt, as his flying squad prepared to deliver a further 38 boxes of essential supplies to the war-hit territory.

The UAE has conducted dozens of airdrops since February in partnership with the Egyptian air force to ensure vital aid reaches areas of the besieged enclave which are remote or inaccessible by land and sea.

“I’m proud as a commander and a member of the Emirati people to be helping our brothers in Gaza,” he said.

Lt Col Saeed Al Shamsi is leading the UAE's airdrop operation, which is being conducted in partnership with Egypt. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“The UAE has made over 50 airdrops through 171 airplanes in co-operation with the Egyptian authorities.

“Today [Thursday] we are preparing the next airdrop which will contain 38 airdrop boxes of aid and relief to the Palestinian people.”

He said the relief missions are carefully co-ordinated to ensure supplies land safely in Gaza in order to help those in need.

Thousands of tonnes of aid have been sent by planes under the initiative, including food, medical supplies and clothing.

The campaign is part of the UAE's broader Gallant Knight 3 operation, which was launched in November 2023 by President Sheikh Mohamed to support Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The UAE has offered essential financial and humanitarian assistance since the war broke out on October 7.

Figures released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June showed the Emirates had provided 33,100 tonnes of urgent supplies to Gaza since November.

The aid was delivered by 320 flights, seven ships and 1,243 lorries up until June 13. That amounts to an additional 1,100 tonnes since May.

Two hospitals have also been established as part of the UAE's programme to help those in need in Gaza, including one with a centre to provide prosthetic limbs to Palestinians wounded during the war.

The UAE has opened a warehouse in Al Arish, near the Rafah border, where it is stockpiling aid including nappies, blankets, canned foods and electric heaters.

These supplies will enter Gaza as soon as border authorities permit.

Rashid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of Emirates Red Crescent, the charitable arm of the UAE government, said the UAE is working to ensure aid is delivered to Gaza by air, land and sea.

“When the land entry points halt, we perform airdrops to the people inside Gaza,” he said.

“UAE aid managed to enter Gaza via 808 trucks which crossed the borders.”

The death toll in Gaza has crossed 38,000 with more than 87,000 injured, according to figures from Gaza's Health Ministry.

UAE committed to aid effort

On Wednesday, Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, said the aid was part of the UAE's “consistent” commitment to try to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people.

“We feel strongly in the UAE that we just need to keep doing everything possible we can do to ensure that aid gets delivered and that people's suffering gets alleviated,” Ms Al Hashimy said during a media briefing in Dubai.

“Our policy is clear. We want to see a ceasefire and we are very much committed to two state solution.

“We believe that it is sort of core and centre of how peace could come to this part of the world and to the region as well.”