The UAE celebrates National Day this Tuesday. In honor of the occasion, UAE-based media outlets are highlighting the importance of Gaza to Abu Dhabi.
While the UAE was not the most outspoken country during the Israel-Hamas War, it has always worked to support the civilians in Gaza behind the scenes. This has been a major effort.
The UAE’s humanitarian aid for Gaza “constituted more than 44% of all international aid to Gaza to date,” UAE-based news site Al-Ain News reported.
The Gulf country helped evacuate at least 3,000 wounded people from Gaza and sent more than 100,000 tons of supplies, the report said. The UAE’s National Day “brings joy to Gaza,” it said.
“As the United Arab Emirates celebrates the 54th anniversary of the founding of the Union, it has chosen to immortalize this historic anniversary in the hearts of the people of Gaza through exceptional humanitarian initiatives,” Al-Ain News reported, adding that this is called the “thawb [traditional regional garment] of joy” initiative.
Since the founding of the UAE in 1971, the country has developed and is currently able to provide humanitarian aid on a large scale, the report said. This “reflects the values of giving and belonging, amidst a festive atmosphere that expresses the spirit of the national occasion.”
“The UAE continues its humanitarian leadership in supporting Gaza by providing aid amounting to more than 9.4 billion dirhams during the two years of the crisis, which constituted more than 44% of the total international aid to Gaza so far,” Al-Ain News reported.
The UAE’s initiatives, known as “operations” in the Gaza Strip, have had several names. They have included one known as Noble Knight 3. This new initiative is aimed at supporting weddings, hence the use of the term “gown” or “garment.”
The UAE will support “grooms from various governorates of the Gaza Strip, to bring joy to the hearts of Gazans after months that were filled with sadness and pain,” the report said.
Apparently, out of 577 men who put forward their names, several dozen were chosen to receive “tents and relief packages, in support of their resilience and to assist them at the beginning of their new life.” The newlyweds have expressed “their gratitude to the humanitarian nation for its continued support of Gaza.”
The UAE had “organized a national humanitarian event [for] the occasion of the 54th Union Day, which included preparing 1,971 relief parcels destined for Gaza, in a symbolic initiative that embodies the year of the founding of the UAE, and reflects the values of giving and belonging, amid a festive atmosphere that expressed the spirit of the national occasion,” the report said.
Dr. Hamdan Musallam Al Mazrouei, chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent, who has emphasized the UAE’s humanitarian role globally in past statements, noted the continued role the group plays in Gaza, Al-Ain News reported.
“He explained that this issue reinforces that humanitarian work is an integral part of the Emirati identity since the first day of the Union, as every year of the country’s life is translated into charitable work that reaches those who need it around the world – so that the celebration of Union Day, through this initiative, becomes more than just a national occasion,” the report said. “It is a moral and humanitarian stance that reflects the UAE’s commitment to supporting affected peoples.”
Mazrouei said the UAE was the “largest donor of humanitarian aid in the world relative to its national income, which reflects that giving is a firmly established national identity.”
“He added that the Red Crescent does not present itself only as a voluntary humanitarian organization; it is also a national voice that reflects the philosophy of the state and its leadership in serving humanity without discrimination or borders,” the report said.
The UAE’s role in the Gaza Strip began with the Noble Knight 3 operations two years ago. It has played a role in transferring aid via Egypt and with airdrops.
Two years since first UAE relief operation to Gaza
The UAE's celebration of Union Day coincides with the two-year anniversary of the launch of "Operation Noble Knight 3," the UAE's largest relief operation to aid the people of Gaza, on November 5, 2023. The UAE has also backed the ceasefire brokered by the US in October. UAE state media noted that after the ceasefire deal “the UAE Humanitarian Ship set sail today for the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, carrying 7,200 tonnes of relief supplies aimed at meeting urgent needs and alleviating the suffering of people in the Strip.”
The report added that “the shipment includes 4,680 tonnes of essential food supplies, 2,160 tonnes of shelter materials, tents and winter clothing, along with 360 tonnes of medical supplies and four water tanks. The cargo represents a comprehensive humanitarian response addressing the most pressing daily needs of Gaza’s population.” These initiatives come directly from the top due to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, “who places humanitarian work among the country’s top priorities and ensures the continuity of relief support for the people of Gaza,” UAE state media noted.
The convoys of aid from the UAE continue to flow. These include food, medical needs, and basic necessities, as well as shelter. Al-Ain noted, “the successive convoys included food, medical, shelter, and health parcels, in addition to parcels designated for winter clothing, and parcels specifically for women and children, reflecting the operation’s keenness to meet the needs of various affected groups in the Gaza Strip.” Abu Dhabi has also donated 33 ambulances, medical tents, and 36 water tankers to Gaza. Field bakeries have also been supplied to help produce food amidst the ruins. The UAE also backs water and infrastructure projects in Gaza.
According to the report, “the UAE humanitarian aid team oversees the preparation and dispatch of these convoys through the humanitarian aid logistics center in Al-Arish city, where the team handles the receiving, storage, repackaging and preparation operations, to ensure the speed and efficiency of delivering aid to the sector in coordination with the relevant authorities.” For instance, a water project in Gaza, which the report terms the “largest” one of its kind, helps provide desalinated water to tens of thousands of people. “The Emirati water pipeline stretches 7.5 kilometers with a production capacity of approximately two million gallons per day, serving more than 600,000 people.”
The UAE is concerned about the future of Gaza. As it continues to support aid, an editorial at The National in the UAE expresses concern that Gaza will continue to be divided between an area controlled by the IDF and the rest of Gaza, where around 2 million people shelter amid hardship and destruction caused by the war. The editorial expressed concern that the small enclave will be “cleaved” in two. The UAE wants to see progress on the ceasefire plan. The editorial expressed grave concern about what might come in 2026 unless progress is made.