Three convoys carrying aid sent by the Emirates have entered Gaza this week through Egypt's Rafah border crossing, as part of the UAE's Gallant Knight 3 operation.
The 445 tonnes of supplies include food, children's nutritional supplements, clothing and shelter materials. The National on Wednesday witnessed eight lorries being loaded with aid at the UAE’s stores in Al Arish, Egypt, before entering the enclave in the early hours of Thursday.
Humanitarian agencies have warned that Israel has imposed barriers to aid deliveries in Gaza, especially in the north of the enclave. Since the start of the war on October 7 last year, the UAE has been among the biggest donors of aid to Gaza, providing medical and food supplies.
An aircraft sent by the UAE and carrying thousands of items of winter clothing for Palestinians arrived at Al Arish airport on Tuesday night. The packages, which included jackets, are part of the UAE’s campaign to help alleviate the suffering of Palestinians struggling amid the conflict and harsh winter weather.
The UAE has sent dozens of aid flights carrying thousands of tonnes of vital supplies to support Gazans. The country has contributed 42 per cent of the total aid sent to Gaza since Israel's war on the enclave began, the German Press Agency reported this month.
This meant the Emirates had topped the list of donor countries. The UAE's contributions were said to be valued at $828 million.
The country was among the first to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with President Sheikh Mohamed launching the Gallant Knight operation to send aid by land, air and sea. Since beginning operations in December last year, the UAE Field Hospital in Gaza has treated more than 50,000 patients.
A floating hospital in Al Arish Port has treated more than 7,500 patients since opening in February. The UAE has established two other hospitals, including one with a centre to provide prosthetic limbs for Palestinians injured in the war.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, told The National recently that the aid deliveries were “part of the UAE’s ongoing commitment to alleviate the immense suffering of Palestinians".
UAE delivers aid to Gaza - in pictures
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Palestinians rush to intercept humanitarian aid packages as they land in the northern Gaza Strip, dropped by a UAE plane in a joint effort with Egypt. All photos: AFP -
Men carry boxes of aid through the rubble of damaged buildings after the airdrop -
The packages are a lifeline for many amid the continuing war in the Gaza Strip -
A youth carries a box of aid to his family -
The additional supplies – including food – were sent by parachute into remote areas -
The UAE has been donating humanitarian relief to Gaza since shortly after the latest war began -
A man collects this aid package from the UAE-Egypt airdrop
