Adnan Farooq 
The UAE has launched the largest phase of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 to provide much-needed relief aid to Gaza residents.
In line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the relief aid is aimed at providing necessary assistance to Gaza’s population in the wake of the Hamas-Israel ceasefire that took effect Sunday.
As part of the operation, the UAE dispatched a relief convoy consisting of 20 trucks carrying more than 200 tonnes of necessary humanitarian aid, which includes food supplies, winter clothing, and other necessities, as per the state news agency WAM.
Hamad Al Neyadi, Head of the UAE Relief Mission, highlighted the significance of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 as the UAE continues to provide support and assistance to the Palestinian people. He further affirmed that this phase marks the largest of its kind within the humanitarian efforts undertaken by the country under the operation.
He also noted that the operation is being conducted in complete coordination with relevant authorities to ensure that the humanitarian aid reaches all key beneficiaries as soon as possible.
So far, the UAE has delivered 156 aid convoys to Gaza, carrying over 29,784 tonnes of humanitarian aid as part of the operation. Over the past year, the UAE has dispatched tonnes of humanitarian aid through over 500 airlifts, five strategic transport ships, and more than 2,500 trucks from Egypt into Gaza.
The operation also includes the setting up of a field hospital in Gaza and a floating hospital in Arish in Egypt with specialized medical units for emergency care and surgeries, along with transferring critical cases for further treatment to UAE hospitals. Various other such initiatives have been implemented by the UAE under the operation to provide help and support to Gaza.
This aid is aimed at providing essential needs and alleviating the difficult circumstances faced by Gaza’s residents, particularly the most vulnerable groups.
Additionally, the UAE also oversaw multiple water supply projects such as the construction of desalination plants in Rafah, Egypt, and the “Birds of Goodness” initiative. It caters to airdropping aid to areas that are inaccessible by land, notably in northern Gaza.
Israel-Hamas Truce
The highly-anticipated Israel-Hamas ceasefire began at 4:15 a.m. ET Sunday after a nearly three-hour delay. As soon as the ceasefire began, hundreds of aid trucks crossed into Gaza to provide much-needed relief to residents, who spent their first night without Israeli airstrikes in more than a year Sunday. The ceasefire also paved the way for the release of three hostages from Hamas captivity in Gaza and dozens of Palestinian prisoners by Israel.
