Alongside Qatar, which continues its diplomatic and economic activity with Hamas, it is actually Israel’s friend, the United Arab Emirates, that leads on the ground in terms of direct and extensive humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.
Here are the figures:
• The UAE has invested more than $1.5 billion in aid.
• 2,630 patients were evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment in hospitals in the UAE.
• 5,575 trucks, 656 flights, and 17 ships transported aid from the UAE to the Gazans.
• Over 78,000 tons of equipment and food from the UAE were distributed in the Gaza Strip.
• 72,280 medical treatments were provided on the ground, including at a field hospital and a floating hospital off Al-Arish.
• The UAE funded six water desalination stations, 30 community kitchens, and 30 medical laboratories.
Why? The UAE operates from a strategy of regional visibility, publicized humanitarian influence, and creating a political-administrative alternative to Hamas in front of the Palestinian street, all without direct confrontation with the terrorist organization.