Palestinian man Salim Asfour with UAE aid worker Diaa Abu Zaid. GALLANT KNIGHT 3

In a moving scene captured on video, an elderly Palestinian man in Gaza — his frame reduced to little more than skin and bone by months of hunger — has thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his unwavering support to the people of the besieged enclave. “I extend my thanks to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and his family, and to the people of the UAE. I offer them my gratitude and respect. May God bless you, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, your people, your country, and your loved ones,” said Salim Asfour, a longtime resident of Gaza, as UAE relief workers from the Gallant Knight 3 operation brought food and supplies into his tent. Salim, known among his neighbours for his resonant call to prayer, now recites the adhan in a voice faded by hunger and hardship. “I want to eat. I have no teeth to chew bread, so I soak it in water to help me chew and digest it… I’ve been living like this for three months,” he said in the footage, his frail body a stark reminder of the famine unfolding in Gaza. For nearly two years, war has ravaged the Gaza Strip, forcing thousands into makeshift tents. Global hunger monitors warn that starvation is spreading, with children under five already dying from hunger-related causes. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, intensifying the crisis.

Relief in the form of food, dignity and compassion

UAE aid worker Diaa Abu Zaid, part of the Gallant Knight 3 mission, personally handed Salim fresh vegetables, fruit, flour, oil, and other essentials. At one point, Diaa fed Salim by hand, then helped him into a robe and kissed his head — a simple gesture of compassion amid devastation. Watch the video: Operation Gallant Knight 3, launched under the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, has been delivering aid to Gaza by air, sea, and land for nearly a month. On Friday (August 8), the UAE carried out its 66th humanitarian airdrop — known as “Birds of Goodness” — in cooperation with Jordan, and with participation from Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Italy. The mission has now delivered over 3,873 tonnes of aid, accounting for 44 per cent of all international aid to Gaza so far, according to UN reports. This includes food drops into areas inaccessible by land due to the ongoing conflict. The UAE has pledged to continue working with regional and international partners to ensure aid reaches those most in need. For Salim, and countless others in Gaza, each delivery brings not just sustenance, but a sense of being seen and cared for in a time of unimaginable hardship. PIA/Expat Media
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