First-ever direct flight from UAE with humanitarian aid lands in Israel

TEL AVIV: For the first time, an Etihad Airways flight carrying humanitarian aid from Abu Dhabi landed in Israel on Tuesday night (local time).

"An @etihad cargo plane from #AbuDhabi landed in Israel this evening for the first time, carrying humanitarian aid which will be delivered by the UN to the Palestinian Authority & #Gaza, to help in coping with the #coronavirus crisis," tweeted Israel Foreign Ministry.

A cargo flight for the United Arab Emirates flag carrier headed to Israel with humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, reported The Jerusalem Post. Among the aid provided was 14 tons of medical supplies, including personal protective equipment and 10 ventilators.


Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, thanked the Government and people of the UAE for their continued support to the Palestinian people.

"The UAE is an important partner, whose continued support for peace and for the Palestinian people at this critical time is highly valued. Global solidarity is in the interest of everyone. Today we are facing the most challenging crisis since the Second World War. We can get through it only by working together," said Mladenov.

The World Food Program, in cooperation with Israel, was also involved in the efforts. The development comes amid warming ties between Israel and Gulf states.

Israel and the UAE do not have diplomatic relations. According to the report in the Jerusalem Post, the plane did not carry the Etihad logo.