emirates7 - The United Arab Emirates remains steadfast in its efforts to ease the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, who have been facing extreme hunger and dehydration for over 18 months.
The UAE has been supplying large-scale food assistance to the region by land, air, and sea, while also initiating long-term projects such as deploying automated bakeries, establishing field kitchens, and implementing various schemes to ensure access to clean drinking water.
These humanitarian interventions come amid an alarming escalation in Gaza’s food and water crisis. According to Palestinian medical reports released two days ago, 147 individuals — including 88 children — have died due to malnutrition. Data from the United Nations World Food Programme and UNICEF indicate that 39% of Gaza’s population are enduring multiple days without food. Over 500,000 people, nearly one-fourth of the population, are experiencing famine-like conditions, while the remainder face critical levels of food insecurity.
Despite these harrowing circumstances, the situation would have been far more devastating without the UAE’s ongoing humanitarian response under “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.” UN figures reveal that Emirati aid represents 44% of all international relief delivered to Gaza thus far.
In terms of food aid, the UAE has transported tens of thousands of tonnes of food into Gaza via ground convoys, air drops under the “Birds of Goodness” mission, and sea shipments. The latest delivery was the Khalifa aid vessel, which carried 7,166 tonnes, including 4,372 tonnes of food supplies.
To mitigate the severe bread shortages that arose early in the conflict, the UAE dispatched automatic bakeries to Gaza in February 2024. It also provided flour and essential ingredients to support the daily operations of over 21 field bakeries.
Furthermore, the UAE has supported the running of field kitchens and more than 50 charitable soup kitchens that distribute hot meals daily to families in need.
During the recent Ramadan, the Emirates Red Crescent implemented a major iftar campaign in Gaza, distributing 13 million meals. The initiative supported 44 soup kitchens serving over 2 million people and sustained 17 bakeries that reached 3.12 million individuals.
Alongside food assistance, the UAE responded quickly to the growing water crisis that endangered over 2 million Gazans following the destruction of water infrastructure due to the conflict.
Shortly after launching Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE built six desalination plants with a combined capacity of 2 million gallons per day, benefiting more than 600,000 people.
On July 15, the UAE unveiled a large-scale humanitarian project to transport desalinated water from Egypt into southern Gaza through a newly constructed pipeline—the largest of its kind. This urgent initiative is designed to alleviate the worsening water shortage in the region.
The pipeline measures 315mm in diameter and spans 6.7 kilometres, connecting a UAE-constructed desalination facility in Egypt to displacement areas between Khan Younis and Rafah. It aims to deliver 15 litres of desalinated water per person daily to approximately 600,000 people, especially as over 80% of Gaza’s water infrastructure has been damaged.
The UAE has also undertaken efforts to drill and restore drinking water wells, repair sewage systems in affected areas, and dispatch dozens of water tankers carrying clean drinking water into Gaza.
The UAE has been supplying large-scale food assistance to the region by land, air, and sea, while also initiating long-term projects such as deploying automated bakeries, establishing field kitchens, and implementing various schemes to ensure access to clean drinking water.
These humanitarian interventions come amid an alarming escalation in Gaza’s food and water crisis. According to Palestinian medical reports released two days ago, 147 individuals — including 88 children — have died due to malnutrition. Data from the United Nations World Food Programme and UNICEF indicate that 39% of Gaza’s population are enduring multiple days without food. Over 500,000 people, nearly one-fourth of the population, are experiencing famine-like conditions, while the remainder face critical levels of food insecurity.
Despite these harrowing circumstances, the situation would have been far more devastating without the UAE’s ongoing humanitarian response under “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.” UN figures reveal that Emirati aid represents 44% of all international relief delivered to Gaza thus far.
In terms of food aid, the UAE has transported tens of thousands of tonnes of food into Gaza via ground convoys, air drops under the “Birds of Goodness” mission, and sea shipments. The latest delivery was the Khalifa aid vessel, which carried 7,166 tonnes, including 4,372 tonnes of food supplies.
To mitigate the severe bread shortages that arose early in the conflict, the UAE dispatched automatic bakeries to Gaza in February 2024. It also provided flour and essential ingredients to support the daily operations of over 21 field bakeries.
Furthermore, the UAE has supported the running of field kitchens and more than 50 charitable soup kitchens that distribute hot meals daily to families in need.
During the recent Ramadan, the Emirates Red Crescent implemented a major iftar campaign in Gaza, distributing 13 million meals. The initiative supported 44 soup kitchens serving over 2 million people and sustained 17 bakeries that reached 3.12 million individuals.
Alongside food assistance, the UAE responded quickly to the growing water crisis that endangered over 2 million Gazans following the destruction of water infrastructure due to the conflict.
Shortly after launching Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE built six desalination plants with a combined capacity of 2 million gallons per day, benefiting more than 600,000 people.
On July 15, the UAE unveiled a large-scale humanitarian project to transport desalinated water from Egypt into southern Gaza through a newly constructed pipeline—the largest of its kind. This urgent initiative is designed to alleviate the worsening water shortage in the region.
The pipeline measures 315mm in diameter and spans 6.7 kilometres, connecting a UAE-constructed desalination facility in Egypt to displacement areas between Khan Younis and Rafah. It aims to deliver 15 litres of desalinated water per person daily to approximately 600,000 people, especially as over 80% of Gaza’s water infrastructure has been damaged.
The UAE has also undertaken efforts to drill and restore drinking water wells, repair sewage systems in affected areas, and dispatch dozens of water tankers carrying clean drinking water into Gaza.