UAE aid convoys reach Gaza

Four UAE humanitarian convoys carrying 740 tonnes of food parcels have entered the Gaza Strip, adding fresh relief supplies to an enclave where hunger, displacement and damaged infrastructure continue to strain daily survival for millions of Palestinians.

The aid moved on 60 lorries under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE’s Gaza relief programme launched in November 2023. The shipments were prepared and loaded by the UAE humanitarian team at Al Arish in Egypt, a key logistics point near the Gaza border, before onward entry into the territory.

The latest delivery comes as Gaza’s aid system remains under severe pressure despite intermittent flows of supplies through land crossings. Food parcels remain among the most urgent requirements, with displaced families relying heavily on external assistance after large parts of Gaza’s commercial networks, farms, bakeries and local distribution routes were damaged or disrupted during the war.

The UAE Humanitarian Aid Logistics Centre in Al Arish handled sorting, preparation and dispatch of the consignments. The process involved matching supplies to field requirements inside Gaza, where aid operators face recurring difficulties linked to security restrictions, damaged roads, crowding near distribution points and limited warehouse capacity.

Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 has become one of the UAE’s most visible overseas humanitarian missions, combining food deliveries, medical assistance, shelter support, water projects and hospital-related initiatives. The programme has involved the Emirates Red Crescent, charity organisations, logistics teams, medical workers and volunteers operating across the UAE, Egypt and Gaza-linked delivery routes.

The convoys underline Abu Dhabi’s continued focus on large-scale relief diplomacy at a time when humanitarian access to Gaza remains a central issue in regional negotiations. Egypt’s Al Arish hub has served as a staging ground for international aid flights and land convoys because of its proximity to the Rafah area and other onward routes used for Gaza-bound assistance.

Gaza’s humanitarian situation remains fragile more than two years after the war began on 7 October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has since killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, displaced nearly the entire population and left large areas of the strip in ruins.

Major fighting has been paused under a ceasefire framework, but violence and political disputes continue to complicate relief operations. Mediators have been working to advance the next phase of arrangements covering Israeli troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament, governance in Gaza and reconstruction. Those issues remain unresolved, leaving aid agencies to operate in an unstable environment.

Humanitarian groups say food availability has improved in some periods but remains vulnerable to border closures, transport delays and distribution breakdowns. Gaza’s population, estimated at about 2.1 million, is concentrated in overcrowded areas, many living in tents, makeshift shelters or damaged buildings with limited access to clean water, sanitation and medical care.

The UAE’s relief programme has also included medical evacuation support and treatment initiatives for wounded Palestinians and cancer patients. Field hospitals, floating medical support and air bridges have formed part of a broader strategy aimed at combining emergency relief with healthcare support for those affected by the conflict.

The latest 740-tonne food shipment adds to earlier UAE convoys and aid flights dispatched under the same operation. Earlier consignments included medical supplies, nutritional supplements, tents, clothing and other basic necessities. The programme’s organisers have described the aid pipeline as continuous, designed to respond to changing needs inside Gaza rather than single-event deliveries.

Food parcels remain a practical priority because they can be distributed quickly across displaced communities and require less preparation than bulk supplies. Aid teams, however, still face the challenge of ensuring that consignments reach vulnerable families, including children, older people, pregnant women and those living in areas where local services have collapsed.

The entry of the convoys also highlights the continuing role of regional states in Gaza’s relief architecture. Egypt provides the most important staging ground for many land-based deliveries, while Gulf donors have supplied food, medical equipment, shelter material and funding for humanitarian agencies working with Palestinians.