School bags, books and more: UAE sends 60 tonnes of aid for Gaza children

The UAE has sent more than 60 tonnes of school bags and stationery for more than 25,000 children in Gaza as part of a humanitarian initiative aimed at helping students continue their education amid the enclave’s difficult conditions.

The United Arab Emirates has sent thousands of school bags and other educational supplies for children in Gaza as part of its latest humanitarian assistance campaign.

More than 60 tonnes of supplies were loaded onto a cargo aircraft at Sharjah International Airport. The shipment was sent to the UAE’s humanitarian aid logistics centre in Al Arish, Egypt, for onward delivery to Gaza.

The supplies are expected to benefit more than 25,000 Palestinian pupils.

What is included in the shipment?

The shipment contains school bags and basic stationery required by students, including: Pens, Notebooks, Erasers, Sharpeners and other school supplies.

The initiative comes ahead of the start of the academic year and is intended to help children continue their education despite the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The campaign is titled ‘Through Education We Rise’ and is being carried out by Sharjah Charity International in co-operation with the UAE's Operation Gallant Knight 3.

The initiative aims to support the education sector in Gaza and give children access to basic learning materials.

UAE relief officials said the campaign is intended to help pupils continue studying and regain some sense of normality despite the conditions created by the war.

UAE’s wider Gaza aid operation

The latest shipment is part of the UAE's broader humanitarian operation in Gaza.

Operation Gallant Knight 3 was launched in November 2023 under the direction of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The UAE has since worked with the Emirates Red Crescent and other humanitarian and charitable organisations to deliver assistance to Palestinians.

According to the figures cited in the report, more than Dh14.2 billion ($3.89 billion) worth of aid has been sent to Gaza since the operation began.

Medical and humanitarian assistance

The UAE has also established a floating hospital in Egypt and two medical facilities in Gaza as part of its humanitarian response.

Thousands of patients from Gaza, including people suffering from cancer and war-related injuries, have reportedly been transported to the UAE for medical treatment.

Another initiative, the Step of Hope programme, was launched in June to support Gazans who lost limbs during the war. The programme has provided prosthetics to 72 Palestinian amputees since its launch, according to the report.

Why education aid matters

The latest initiative focuses on an area of humanitarian assistance that goes beyond food and medical supplies.

Children in Gaza have faced major disruptions to their education since the war began. Providing school bags, stationery and other basic materials is intended to help maintain access to learning despite the wider humanitarian crisis.

The UAE says the campaign is aimed at supporting children as they continue their studies and helping preserve educational opportunities during the conflict.

Analysis

The education shipment comes as humanitarian organisations continue to deal with the consequences of prolonged disruption in Gaza.

For children, the impact of the conflict extends beyond immediate access to food, healthcare and shelter. Damage to infrastructure and displacement have also disrupted schooling and normal childhood routines.

The UAE's latest initiative therefore focuses on restoring one part of daily life through basic educational supplies. The shipment is being routed through Al Arish, which has become an important logistics point for humanitarian assistance destined for Gaza.

The school supplies are part of a much broader UAE aid effort that includes food, medical assistance, healthcare facilities and support for people with war-related injuries.

The initiative also comes against the backdrop of the continuing humanitarian consequences of the Gaza war, which began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.