Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The UAE has contributed 42 per cent of the total aid sent to Gaza since the war broke out between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, topping the list of donor countries.
The UAE's aid contributions have been valued at $828 million, the German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
The Emirates was among the first countries to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with President Sheikh Mohamed launching the Gallant Knight operation to send vital aid by land, air and sea.
This week, the country sent a new batch of ambulances to Gaza. Last month, four UAE aid convoys packed with supplies entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing, carrying essential supplies and winter materials. The convoys consisted of 41 lorries carrying more than 514 tonnes of aid including food, medical items, children's nutritional supplements, clothing, shelter materials and hygiene packages for women, state news agency Wam reported.
Dr Richard Peeperkorn, representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the Palestinian Territory, thanked the UAE for its continuous support in bolstering Gaza’s struggling health services, including the medical evacuation of patients from Gaza.
Under Sheikh Mohamed's initiative to treat Palestinians in the country’s hospitals, 2,127 patients and companions have been brought to the UAE in 22 medical evacuations.
The UAE has also made substantial efforts to provide advanced care to sick and severely injured Palestinians. Since it began operations in December last year, the UAE Field Hospital in the Gaza Strip has treated 50,489 patients. A floating hospital anchored in Al Arish Port in Egypt has treated 7,554 patients since it was launched in February. The Emirates has established two other hospitals, one with a centre dedicated to providing prosthetic limbs for Palestinians injured in the war.
Stephen Anderson, World Food Programme representative to the Gulf Co-operation Council, pointed out that as food insecurity in Gaza reaches inhumane levels, the UAE's steadfast commitment to supporting the Palestinian people serves as an inspiring example.
So far, the UAE has helped deliver 4,021 tonnes of essential supplies after establishing a maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza with international partners. Additionally, the "Birds of Goodness" operation carried out 53 airdrops, delivering 3,623 tonnes of food and relief items to inaccessible areas.
In the space of a year, the UAE has sent 1,620 aid convoys, six shiploads of supplies and 519 airlifts carrying more than 47,000 tonnes of essential items.
Eltayeb Adam, Unicef area representative for the Gulf, emphasised the UAE's efforts to provide life-saving supplies and administer polio vaccines to more than 557,000 children under a $5 million pledge to the UN campaign is a testament to the strength of global solidarity.
A network of desalination plants established by the UAE has helped deliver more than 130 million gallons of clean drinking water to the Gaza Strip. The six plants, on the Rafah border, produce about 1.6 million gallons of water daily and have the capacity to serve up to 600,000 Palestinians.
The UAE has also provided refuge to wounded Gazans and helped them rebuild shattered lives at a dedicated treatment centre at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Humanitarian City.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, recently told The National the aid deliveries are “part of the UAE’s continuing commitment to alleviate the immense suffering of Palestinians".
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Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
The years Ramadan fell in May
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
