Scoop: UAE tells Israel it won't work with new Gaza aid mechanism "as it stands"
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Displaced Palestinians queue for meal rations. Photo: Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty
The United Arab Emirates has made it clear to the Israeli government that it won't cooperate with a new Gaza aid mechanism at this stage — a blow to the initiative backed by Israel and the U.S. to resume aid but keep it out of Hamas' hands, according two sources familiar with the details.
Why it matters: Israel has frozen all shipments of food, water and medicine to Gaza for two months, and food supplies could run out within days. Israel argues the new mechanism will allow aid to flow more securely, but the UN and all aid organizations in Gaza have rejected it.
- Israel and the U.S. have been trying to get international donors and the UN on board with the new approach.
- The Emirati position is particularly significant as the UAE has been one of the primary countries providing humanitarian aid in Gaza since the war began.
Zoom in: The UAE has been operating field hospitals, has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase food and medicine, and has taken in hundreds of wounded and sick Palestinians.
- The Israeli government and the Trump administration hoped the country would agree to participate in the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), thus encouraging other countries to join the initiative.
- President Trump will visit Abu Dhabi next Thursday on his Middle East trip and is expected to discuss the war in Gaza with Emirati leader Mohammed bin Zayed.
Behind the scenes: On Thursday, Gen. Ghassan Alian and Ron Dermer — Israel's coordinator for Gaza and minister for strategic affairs, respectively —met in Abu Dhabi with Reem al-Hashimy, the UAE minister overseeing humanitarian aid to Gaza, three sources familiar with the trip say.
- Alian discussed the UAE's humanitarian aid operations in Gaza and laid out the way the GHF is supposed to work.
- Al-Hashimy made clear that "as it stands," the new aid mechanism does not fulfill the UAE's requirements.
- The UAE Foreign Ministry and the Alian's spokesperson declined to comment.
Driving the news: Former executive director of the World Food Program David Beasley is in talks with the Trump administration, the Israeli government and other key players to head the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Axios reported.
- Beasley's leadership would give it significant credibility and could convince the UN and other international aid organizations to work with the new foundation.
- According to memo sent to potential donors about the establishment of the GHF, the new aid mechanism will initially stand up four "Secure Distribution Sites," each built to continuously serve 300,000 people — 1.2 million Palestinians in the initial phase, with capacity to expand past 2 million.
- According to the memo the IDF "will not be stationed at or near the locations of the humanitarian hubs in order to "maintain the neutral and civilian-facing nature of operations."
The other side: The UN and aid groups lambasted the aid plan in a joint statement, arguing it "appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic — as part of a military strategy.
- "It is dangerous, driving civilians into militarized zones to collect rations, threatening lives, including those of humanitarian workers, while further entrenching forced displacement," they wrote.
What they are saying: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told reporters Friday that the process of launching the new aid mechanism has started.
- "President Trump thinks one of the most urgent things is to get humanitarian aid into Gaza...food needs to be distributed safely inside Gaza and Hamas shouldn't be able to steal it," he said.
- Huckabee said the aid mechanism will be a partnership of governments, NGO's and non profits from around the world. He claimed several partners agreed to take part, but said he couldn't name them yet.
- "There is good initial response. This response will only get stronger as we are able to start getting the resources and moving the supplies into Gaza," he stressed.
Go deeper: Israel plans to occupy and flatten all of Gaza if no deal by Trump's trip
