UAE sends ambulances, 930 tonnes

Why it matters

The United Arab Emirates said on May 26 that it had sent four ambulances and 40 tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza, adding to a separate convoy of 930 tonnes of relief that entered after the Rafah crossing partially reopened. The shipments were reported by The National as part of the UAE’s continuing aid operation into the territory. The deliveries came as humanitarian agencies and rights groups said the reopening of some routes had not restored regular aid access or medical evacuation capacity. OCHA and the World Health Organization have described Rafah as operating only for limited movement of people, including some medical evacuations. ### Why are ambulances and medical supplies drawing attention now? The four ambulances matter because Gaza’s medical system remains under severe strain and many patients still need transfer for treatment unavailable inside the enclave. WHO says severely ill or injured patients requiring lifesaving specialized care continue to depend on medical evacuation abroad. OCHA said on February 12 that Rafah had reopened for limited movement of people for the first time in nearly 11 months, enabling further medical evacuations and returns to Gaza. (thenationalnews.com) The 40 tonnes of medical supplies were reported alongside new admissions to the UAE floating hospital, according to The National. That places the shipment within a broader UAE medical support effort rather than as a standalone delivery. The same coverage said a separate convoy carrying 930 tonnes of aid entered Gaza after the partial reopening. (emro.who.int) ### Does the partial reopening of Rafah mean aid flows are back to normal? OCHA said the answer is no. Its February 12 update described Rafah as reopened only for limited movement of people, not as a full restoration of normal cross-border traffic. The agency also said airstrikes, shelling and gunfire continued across Gaza, exposing civilians, aid workers and medical teams to deadly risks. (thenationalnews.com) Human Rights Watch, in a May 26 statement republished by Juan Cole, said aid volumes remained far below required levels and that critical humanitarian access routes had been repeatedly obstructed, citing OCHA. The statement said Kerem Shalom and Zikim remained the only operational entry points for humanitarian and commercial goods, and that total deliveries were still below pre-February 28 levels. Adam Coogle, Middle East deputy director at Human Rights Watch, said Palestinians in Gaza were “still hungry, still cannot reach medical care, and civilians are still being killed.” (ochaopt.org) ### What do the evacuation figures show? OCHA said on December 18, 2025, citing Gaza health ministry records relayed by WHO representative Rik Peeperkorn, that 1,092 patients had died while awaiting medical evacuation between July 2024 and Nov. 28, 2025. OCHA added that the figure was likely underreported and not fully representative. That earlier UN figure does not independently verify the higher tally cited in later commentary, but it shows that deaths during the wait for evacuation were already in the thousands’ range before the most recent period. (juancole.com) WHO says it continues to coordinate evacuation logistics, including transport to collection points and onward movement to Rafah. Its guidance says patients are moved in medical vehicles provided by partners and then transferred through designated departure facilities on evacuation days. (ochaopt.org) ### Where does the 930-tonne convoy fit in? The 930-tonne convoy shows that substantial shipments can still enter Gaza even under restricted conditions. But humanitarian agencies measure need against sustained throughput, not one convoy or one day’s movement. Human Rights Watch said aid distributed by UN agencies and partners had increased over parts of the reporting period, but added that deliveries had fallen since early 2026 and remained far short of what Gaza’s population needed. (emro.who.int) OCHA’s weekly updates remain the main public accounting of crossing access, casualties and humanitarian conditions. WHO continues to publish information on medical evacuation procedures and patient transfers through Rafah, while UAE aid operations are being reported through state-linked and regional media outlets. (ochaopt.org) (thenationalnews.com)

Key numbers

• The United Arab Emirates said on May 26 it sent four ambulances and 40 tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza as Rafah reopened partially.
• A separate UAE aid convoy carried 930 tonnes of relief, while OCHA previously said 1,092 patients died awaiting evacuation by Nov.
• The United Arab Emirates said on May 26 that it had sent four ambulances and 40 tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza, adding to a separate convoy of 930 tonnes of relief that entered after the Rafah crossing partially reopened.
• OCHA said on February 12 that Rafah had reopened for limited movement of people for the first time in nearly 11 months, enabling further medical evacuations and returns to Gaza.

What happens next

• The United Arab Emirates said on May 26 that it had sent four ambulances and 40 tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza, adding to a separate convoy of 930 tonnes of relief that entered after the Rafah crossing partially reopened.
• (thenationalnews.com) Human Rights Watch, in a May 26 statement republished by Juan Cole, said aid volumes remained far below required levels and that critical humanitarian access routes had been repeatedly obstructed, citing OCHA.
• (ochaopt.org) (thenationalnews.com) - The United Arab Emirates said on May 26 it sent four ambulances and 40 tonnes of medical supplies into Gaza as Rafah reopened partially.

Sources

• thenationalnews.com
• emro.who.int
• ochaopt.org
• juancole.com
• ochaopt.org

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