Khaberni - Since the outbreak of the crisis in Gaza, the United Arab Emirates has topped the humanitarian scene through "Noble Knight 3", which launched on November 5, 2023, bringing together land convoys, maritime ships, airdrops, and vital projects to meet the needs of the sector's residents.
In a move that reflects the UAE's steadfast approach to supporting the Palestinian cause, the UAE has exerted political and diplomatic efforts to continue the flow of this aid, following the recommendations of the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to mobilize all energy and capabilities to support the people of Gaza in their crisis, in alliance with brotherly and friendly countries.
The UAE International Aid Agency has, over more than 702 days, supported the sector, where UAE aid represented about 44% of the total aid provided to the people of Gaza, according to UN estimates, at a cost exceeding $1.8 billion during the two years.
The UAE stood out in providing a swift response to the residents of the sector, being among the first countries to respond by providing aid to affected families across different areas, including thousands of tons of food, thousands of shipments loaded with tents, food parcels, clothing, and more.
"Birds of Goodness" Operation
On February 29, 2024, the Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defense announced the launch of the "Birds of Goodness" operation, to air-drop aids through the Emirati and Egyptian Air Forces over areas in northern Gaza in Jabalia and Beit Lahia, via 3 aircraft carrying about 36 tons of aid, marking the first operation.
Within the "Birds of Goodness" operations and as part of "Noble Knight 3", 81 airdrop operations were conducted until August 26 of the past year in cooperation with Jordan and Egypt.
The "Birds of Goodness" operation aimed to expedite the delivery of urgent assistance to those in need and reach areas in Gaza that are hard to access, where these aids are dropped in boxes equipped with a GPS guidance system, to ensure their precise arrival.
The volunteer teams of the "Noble Knight 3" operation were able to carry out their campaigns to distribute humanitarian aid to families in various provinces and shelters, including shelter tents, clothing, winter wear, and essential children's supplies.
Maritime Aid and Effective Partnerships
In terms of effective humanitarian partnerships aimed to support the residents of Gaza, the UAE has supported the "Amalthea" fund announced by the Republic of Cyprus to support the maritime corridor initiative between Cypriot ports and the Gaza Strip, by allocating $15 million, emerging from the UAE's vision to address the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza through this cooperative international multi-framework approach.
The UAE, in cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Republic of Cyprus, the United Nations, and several donors, delivered more than 2,176 tons of food supplies by sea to Gaza, in partnership with ANERA refugee aid agency. Additionally, in cooperation with the Global Central Kitchen, 300 additional tons were delivered to the north of the sector.
Grants to Confront the Crisis
In order to provide urgent support, the UAE allocated $20 million in October 2023 to face the challenging humanitarian conditions in Gaza. In February 2024, it announced an allocation of $5 million to support the efforts of Sigrid Kaag, Senior United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza.
Reaffirming its ongoing commitment, the "Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives" foundation announced a grant of 43 million dirhams ($11.7 million) to provide direct food support to the residents of Gaza, in cooperation with the World Food Programme.
This project is a continuation of ongoing Emirati efforts, including establishing desalination plants, introducing tanks and reservoirs, and maintaining wells, thus providing a lifeline for the residents of the sector and alleviating the severe water crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
The UAE did not stop at this point, but expanded its efforts to include municipalities and local authorities in Gaza, by providing tanks for water and sewage transport, and essential equipment for municipalities. Additionally, a "Water Disaster Relief" plan was implemented, whereby stopped central wells in all provinces of Gaza were repaired and put back into operation.
The Bread Crisis
The UAE proactively addressed the crisis caused by the severe shortage of bread by sending a number of automatic bakeries into the sector to secure daily needs for more than 72,000 people and provided flour to dozens of existing bakeries in Gaza to meet the daily needs of the population.
Health Support
On the health front, the UAE has ensured to provide relief and diversify it according to priorities to meet the call of the injured and victims, playing a significant and impactful role in supporting the health sector. The UAE has delivered thousands of tons of medical supplies, including medicines, first aid, essentials, and medical equipment, as well as contributing to the rehabilitation and expansion of hospitals and health centers that were damaged during the war.
The Emirates Red Crescent, under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, built the Emirates Field Hospital in December 2023, to provide medical services for all ages, and was established in southern Gaza under the supervision of an Emirati medical team with a capacity of 200 beds, comprising more than 100 doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and lab technicians, contributing to treating thousands of cases. Meanwhile, the "Noble Knight 3" operation equipped the floating hospital in the Egyptian city of Al-Arish in 2024, which includes 100 beds, and the work team exerts relentless efforts around the clock to perform their humanitarian mission.
The UAE did not overlook the children, where it launched an emergency polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 640 children under the age of ten through two doses of the polio vaccine, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNRWA, organized by volunteers of the "Noble Knight 3" operation and with the help of medical teams.
Given the pressures facing the health system in the sector, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan directed the provision of treatment for the injured and patients suffering from cancer diseases, and numerous evacuation operations were implemented, as well as the transfer and housing of a large number of the injured to receive treatment in Emirati hospitals, supervised by specialized medical crews.
Furthermore, within the initiative of "Noble Knight 3", the UAE provided support for the injured in Gaza by supplying advanced prosthetic limbs for amputees resulting from the war, along with psychological support and medical rehabilitation, aiming to enable them to regain part of their mobility, rely on themselves, and improve their quality of life.
Community Efforts
The UAE launched the "Compassion for Gaza" campaign to collect humanitarian aid baskets, with more than 71,000 baskets gathered, by 24,000 volunteers and 20 humanitarian organizations. Emirati charities and associations successfully implemented many initiatives and projects, including drilling water wells, providing trucks loaded with flour to restart bakeries that had stopped operating, distributing school bags to students as part of an initiative to support education in Gaza, as well as supporting food kitchens in displacement camps to address the hunger crisis in Gaza.
In conclusion, the UAE's generosity to Gaza did not start today; it has deep historical roots and countless stances well known to the Palestinians, as the UAE sees supporting its brethren as a duty, not a favor, deriving from values instilled by the founding fathers, making it a homeland for humanity.
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