ASILA AL BADI / SAMIHAH ZAMAN (ABU DHABI)
The UAE’s commitment to supporting the people of Gaza took centre stage as Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 participated in the BRIDGE Summit. At the world’s largest debut media event, the team behind the nation’s dedicated Gaza aid initiative sought to forge new partnerships and expand collaborative efforts to strengthen its impact.
The country has contributed 46% of all humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza since 2023, and representatives of the operation highlighted these key achievements, including the delivery of more than 103,000 tonnes of aid via air, land and sea corridors – assistance valued at more than $2.6 billion.
At BRIDGE, Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 also underscored the UAE values that drive this far-reaching humanitarian movement – principles that call for supporting communities in crisis, said Mohammed AlShareef, the official spokesperson for the initiative.
“The spirit of giving was embedded in the values of the UAE by [its Founding Father], the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and we continue to uphold his vision,” AlShareef added.
By participating in the summit, the team is also calling for “partnerships and collaborative efforts that strengthen humanitarian initiatives”, he added, noting that “humanitarian work and the media always go hand in hand”.
An interactive display at the team’s booth traces key operational milestones, including the development of warehouses for food and medical supplies at Al Arish, and a water desalination plant that delivers two million gallons of water through a 7.5-kilometre water pipeline from Rafah to Khan Younis. A floating hospital with 100 beds in Al Arish, the Egyptian city that borders Gaza, has treated more than 23,000 cases.
The UAE has evacuated more than 1,000 children, with their families, for medical treatment, as well as 1,000 cancer patients. It has also set up a 200-bed field hospital in Gaza that has so far treated more than 54,000 cases.
A total of 81 Birds of Goodness airdrop operations have delivered 4,076 tonnes of aid to the Strip.
A Spirit of CompassionBeyond the figures, it is the compassion and the human spirit that bring these efforts to life. Volunteer Shahad Ibrahim Al Abdouli has witnessed this firsthand through her work on the ground.
“These missions are truly blessed efforts, carried out with love and passion from the people of the UAE, supported by our nation and its wise leadership,” said Al Abdouli, who is also a content creator, in an interview with Aletihad.
“We travelled from the UAE to Al Arish wanting to convey one message to the world: humanity has no language, no race and no nationality. Humanity means reaching people wherever they are and offering them assistance,” she said.
Al Abdouli stressed that, for the UAE, humanitarian action goes far beyond packing relief or providing financial support. The country and its people have been present on the ground, in the field, “giving everything we can to support those in need”.
With extensive medical, logistical, and infrastructure efforts underway, Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 stands as one of the region’s most significant ongoing humanitarian missions. Its presence at the BRIDGE Summit reaffirms that alongside relief operations, storytelling and media engagement play a key role in ensuring humanitarian messages resonate globally – highlighting not only what is being delivered, but why it matters.