UAE delivers $3.12 billion in Gaza aid, accounting for 46% of international assistance

UAE delivers $3.12 billion in Gaza aid, accounting for 46% of international assistance

The United Arab Emirates has delivered approximately $3.12 billion in humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip since launching Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 in November 2023, representing nearly 46 percent of all international aid provided to the territory over the past two and a half years, according to official figures released by the operation.

The unprecedented relief effort, initiated under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has positioned the UAE as the world's largest single donor of humanitarian assistance to Gaza during this period. The comprehensive support framework encompasses medical care, food security, shelter provision, and critical infrastructure development delivered through integrated land, sea, and air logistics networks.

The UAE's commitment to Gaza comes as the territory serves a population of approximately 2.1 million people, including more than one million children under the age of 18, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. With a population density of approximately 6,100 people per square kilometer, Gaza ranks among the most densely populated areas on earth, presenting significant logistical challenges for humanitarian operations.

Palestine has emerged as the largest recipient of global humanitarian aid in 2025, accounting for 14.9 percent of all international humanitarian assistance, ahead of Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, according to UN OCHA data. This humanitarian focus reflects the scale of needs in the territory, where the UAE's multi-pronged response has delivered 126,300 tonnes of relief supplies through more than 13,000 aid trucks, over 785 relief flights, and 25 aid ships.

Comprehensive healthcare infrastructure

The operation established the UAE Field Hospital inside the Gaza Strip with a capacity of 200 beds, which has treated more than 114,000 patients since opening. In parallel, the UAE Floating Hospital in Egypt's Al Arish began operations with 100 beds and has provided medical treatment to more than 31,000 patients.

Healthcare support has included the deployment of 33 ambulances, assistance to 33 hospitals across the Strip, provision of more than 291 dialysis sessions, and contributions to a polio vaccination campaign that benefited approximately 640,000 children. Total medical aid delivered has exceeded 16,000 tonnes of medicines, medical supplies, and healthcare equipment.

The operation has also prioritized rehabilitation services for war amputees through the Step of Hope programme, implemented in cooperation with Dar Al Ber Society. The initiative provides comprehensive rehabilitation including medical assessment, prosthetic limb fabrication and fitting, physiotherapy, and continuous medical follow-up. The cumulative number of amputations in Gaza since October 2023 has exceeded 5,000 cases, with an additional 496 new amputations recorded between the ceasefire in October 2025 and February 2026, according to UN OCHA data.

Water and food security

The UAE established the UAE Water Pipeline Project, which includes desalination plants with a production capacity exceeding two million gallons per day. A 7.5-kilometer water pipeline extends from the Egyptian side to Khan Younis, providing safe drinking water within the Gaza Strip.

Food security initiatives have included support for field bakeries, community kitchens, and distribution of food parcels to affected families. The broader humanitarian context shows that approximately 1.78 million tons of food entered Gaza between October 2025 and June 2026 following the ceasefire, with food prices declining by approximately 72 percent between September 2025 and May 2026, according to Israel's COGAT.

Expanded coordination framework

What began with three participating institutions has expanded into a nationwide effort involving more than 200 charitable organizations across the UAE, working in partnership with international organizations including the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Mohammed Al Sharif, official spokesperson for Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, confirmed that the operation has maintained uninterrupted humanitarian support since its launch through an integrated framework of relief, healthcare, and development initiatives. The operation established a coordination center in Abu Dhabi and a fully integrated logistics hub in Egypt's Al Arish equipped with humanitarian warehouses and storage facilities.

Beyond direct aid delivery, the UAE has demonstrated diplomatic leadership on Gaza humanitarian issues. In December 2023, the UAE drafted UN Security Council Resolution 2720 demanding increased humanitarian aid flow to Palestinians, protection of humanitarian staff, and appointment of a UN senior humanitarian coordinator to monitor aid shipments entering Gaza.

The UAE's commitment to Gaza reflects its broader humanitarian leadership. According to UN OCHA's Financial Tracking Service, the UAE ranked as the world's third-largest humanitarian donor in 2025, contributing $1.46 billion and representing 7.2 percent of global humanitarian funding of $20.28 billion, behind only the United States and the European Union.

In the education sector, UAE initiatives have included distribution of school bags and educational supplies, as well as scholarship programmes, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to supporting Palestinian communities beyond immediate emergency needs.