UAE and Jordan send 22 tonnes of aid to northern Gaza

Aircraft drop food into besieged enclave as part of joint humanitarian operation

The UAE on Sunday sent a third ship carrying humanitarian supplies that left Fujairah for the Egyptian city of Al Arish. Wam

The UAE sent further aid to northern Gaza in a joint operation with Jordan.

Aircraft from the countries dropped 22 tonnes of food aid into the besieged enclave on Monday, state news agency Wam reported.

The aid drop was carried out as part of Operation Gallant Knight 3, which was launched last year by President Sheikh Mohamed to support Palestinian civilians.

More than 32,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, Gaza's Health Ministry said. Women and children account for about two thirds of the dead.

Most of the enclave's 2.3 million people have been displaced by the fighting, as the humanitarian crisis worsens and the threat of famine looms.

Last week, Sheikh Mohamed and Jordan's King Abdullah II held talks in Abu Dhabi and called for the "safe and unimpeded delivery" of aid to Gaza by land, air and sea.

The two leaders emphasised the importance of securing a "comprehensive, just and lasting peace" for the Palestinian people, based on a two-state solution.

The latest aid drop by the countries comes after a third ship carrying humanitarian supplies left Fujairah on Sunday for the Egyptian city of Al Arish.

Cargo provided by Emirates Red Crescent, the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation included 4,218 tonnes of food, 370 tonnes of shelter materials and 42 tonnes of medical aid.

The shipment also included six water tanks, two septic tanks and one diesel storage tank.

Since the launch of Operation Gallant Knight 3, the UAE has established two field hospitals, one in the Gaza Strip and another floating centre off the coast of Al Arish.

Five bakeries have also been established, with flour supplied to eight others to help address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Six desalination plants have been set up to provide clean water for more than 600,000 people.

Isolated areas in northern Gaza are being supported by Operation Birds of Goodness, an aid initiative that has so far delivered 486 tonnes of relief by air.

Women in Gaza during the conflict – in pictures

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  Palestinian women flee their homes with their children, after Israeli air strikes in Gaza city. AFP

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  An injured woman on the phone at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. EPA

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  Palestinian women huddle over a spot where a relative is believed to be trapped under debris, in Rafah. AFP

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  A woman mourns over the body of a loved one, killed during Israeli strikes at Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza. AFP

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  An injured woman is helped leave Al Shati refugee camp after an Israeli rocket attack. EPA

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  Palestinian women and children stand in the stairway of a badly damaged building. AFP

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  A Palestinian woman carries a white flag while fleeing from the Hamad City area of Khan Yunis. AFP

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  Palestinian women and children displaced from northern Gaza receive medical care at a clinic in Rafah. AFP

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  Palestinian women leave Al Nuseirat refugee camp shortly after an Israeli air strike. EPA

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  A pregnant Palestinian woman stands in a warehouse in Rafah, where she is taking shelter. AFP

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  Women console each other after the destruction of homes in an Israeli air strike in Rafah. AFP