The oil and gas-rich Gulf heavyweight monarchy, the United Arab Emirates, which is in a fierce rivalry with neighboring Qatar, is spreading its influence and preparing for the post-war period in the Gaza Strip, when the bombs will finally fall silent and the focus will shift to rebuilding the devastated region, france24.com reports.
In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played a leading role in normalizing relations with Israel, with the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020. But amid criticism of this rapprochement with the Jewish state, the Gulf monarchy wants to polish its image in the Middle East, where public opinion strongly supports the Palestinian cause.
Abu Dhabi has therefore decided to use diplomacy and humanitarian aid to show support for the people of Gaza. The wealthy Gulf monarchy has organized evacuations of wounded Gazans by plane to Abu Dhabi, via Israel.
Meanwhile, in the middle of Egypt's Sinai Desert, on the border with Gaza, the UAE has built a floating hospital, huge hangars for storing aid and six desalination plants capable of supplying drinking water to more than 600,000 Gazans – a quarter of the enclave's residents.
Fifteen months of war in Gaza have killed more than 46,000 people and left 110,000 wounded, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The material damage is also enormous. Experts predict that reconstruction will take decades and cost at least $40 billion - the largest recovery effort since the end of World War II and the Marshall Plan.
How will Gaza's reconstruction be organized? How is the "day after" of the war being planned? france24.com journalists Sophie Guignon, Chloe Domat and Claire Duhamel tell the story in their report, which traveled to the UAE, Egypt and Israel.