The key facts
- Emirates Red Crescent launched a winter campaign worth Dh12.5 million for more than 300,000 people in 17 countries
- Priority groups: children, the elderly, women, displaced persons, and refugees
- A week earlier, winter and medical aid worth Dh50 million was delivered to Gaza
Dh12.5 million campaign across 17 countries
Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has launched a winter aid campaign worth Dh12.5 million (about $3.4 million), aimed at supporting more than 300,000 vulnerable people in 17 countries, The National reports. The initiative is being carried out on the instructions of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, the Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra region and Chairman of the ERC, and is addressed to refugees, displaced persons, and communities affected by humanitarian crises and harsh weather conditions.
How the work is organized
The launch was marked by a volunteer event at the ERC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, where board members and staff, together with volunteers from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, ADNOC, and other organizations, assembled winter aid kits. ERC Secretary General Ahmed Al Mazrouei said the organization has developed a phased implementation plan for the entire winter, in coordination with relevant authorities and humanitarian partners at home and abroad. Priority in delivery will be given to children, the elderly, women, as well as families of displaced persons and refugees, so that aid reaches them in a timely and effective manner.
Context: aid to Gaza
A week earlier, as The National notes, the ERC delivered winter and medical aid worth Dh50 million to Palestinians in Gaza — clothing, blankets, food, tents, medicines, and other essential items — amid falling temperatures in the Middle East. The new campaign is a logical continuation of this effort: both initiatives are timed to the winter season, but differ in scope — the Gaza delivery was targeted, while the new program is spread across 17 countries.
The scale of Operation Gallant Knight 3
According to the publication, Operation Gallant Knight 3 remains the UAE's main coordination mechanism for aid to Gaza. Since 2023, the country has provided more than $4 billion in aid — which, according to The National, accounts for 46% of all global support for the enclave. Deliveries included 130,708 tonnes of humanitarian, medical, and food cargo, transported by 796 aircraft, 25 ships, and 14,483 trucks. These figures are cited by the publication based on data from the operation; the article does not describe any independent verification of the volume.
