The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a breakthrough agreement with Israel to deliver critical humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, where a ruthless Israeli blockade has left civilians struggling with acute shortages of food and medicine.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the UAE’s state news agency WAM, the deal was reached following a phone conversation between UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar. The agreement will facilitate the delivery of urgent aid to approximately 15,000 civilians in Gaza during an initial phase.
The aid package will include food provisions for bakeries and essential supplies for infant care, with plans to maintain a steady flow of humanitarian goods to support civilians in the Israeli-destroyed territory.
This development comes during mounting global pressure on Israel to ease its military strikes and invasion in Gaza and allow unhindered access for humanitarian relief. While Israel claimed on Tuesday that 93 trucks had entered Gaza, the United Nations reported continued difficulties in aid distribution, citing hold-ups and logistical barriers.
The UAE’s statement did not clarify when the aid would be delivered or how it would be distributed on the ground. However, it confirmed that both sides also discussed broader efforts to secure a humanitarian truce, reach a ceasefire, and facilitate the release of hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has recently acknowledged the need to permit some humanitarian access, citing “practical and diplomatic reasons” for preventing famine in Gaza. His government has faced growing criticism from international allies over its conduct in the invasion and destruction of Gaza.
The UAE has previously assisted Gaza during the ongoing Israeli invasion, including medical treatment for Palestinian patients. Abu Dhabi’s latest move reinforces its continuing humanitarian role in the region, despite having normalised diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
Israel’s ruthless invasion was reignited following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,218 people dead and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. Since Israel resumed its bombardment on March 18, after breaking a ceasefire agreement, Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 3,427 people have been killed, pushing the overall death toll to more than 53,000, mostly women and children.
