UAE Ramps Up Support For ‘Palestinian People’ As Israel-Hamas War Rages On

UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the provision of $20 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, with the funds to be channelled through the United Nations relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA).

The aid comes as part of the UAE’s policy to provide urgent relief and assistance to vulnerable populations and those in need around the world in times of crisis. Nearly 74,000 displaced persons are now housed in 64 UNRWA shelters in Gaza, with the figure expected to rise.

The Palestinian Islamist militant group, Hamas, launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns early on Saturday, with its fighters entering communities near the Gaza Strip, killing scores of residents and taking hostages.

UAE Warns The Assad Regime In Syria Not To Intervene

The Israel Defense Forces is facing a multi-front battle threat as on Sunday, Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had launched rockets and shells at Israeli positions “in solidarity” with the Palestinian people, with an exchange of fire between Israel and forces in Syria reported Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the UAE – which normalised relations with Israel in 2020 – has warned the Assad regime in Syria not to intervene in the ongoing war or to allow attacks on Israel from Syrian soil, according to two sources briefed on the Emirati diplomatic effort.

The Emiratis, who last year normalised their relationship with Syria and invited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to visit Abu Dhabi, potentially have more influence on the Syrian government than most Arab countries in the region.

Emirates Calls On Both Hamas And Israel “To De-escalate”

In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry on Sunday said the latest “attacks by Hamas against Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza Strip, including the firing of thousands of rockets at population centres, are a serious and grave escalation,” according to Emirates News Agency.

It called for ending the violence, adding the UAE is “appalled by reports that Israeli civilians have been abducted as hostages from their homes.” The nation called on both Hamas and Israel “to de-escalate and avoid an expansion of the heinous violence with tragic consequences.”

As the fierce fighting entered Day 5, the death count in Israel has climbed above 1,200, while Gaza officials have reported 900 people killed so far. The Israeli military also revealed it had recovered the bodies of around 1,500 Hamas operatives inside the country.