UAE expands humanitarian efforts with water pipeline to Gaza

In a decisive move to ease Gaza’s catastrophic water shortage, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has inaugurated a 7.5 km pipeline transporting desalinated water from Egypt directly into southern Gaza’s Khan Younis region, as reported by The National on August 29th.

This initiative is part of the UAE’s humanitarian Operation Gallant Knight 3 and it boasts a capacity exceeding 7.5 million litres per day, sufficient to serve over one million people. The pipeline connects to the Al Buraq reservoir in Khan Younis, expanding access to potable water within the territory.

This comprehensive effort builds on the UAE’s prior initiatives in Gaza, including creating desalination plants and delivering well maintenance. Representatives from Operation Gallant Knight 3 underscore that the pipeline “is not merely an emergency response … but rather an extension of the UAE’s consistent approach to supporting the Palestinian people” amid relentless wartime devastation.

The pipeline’s opening comes against a backdrop of widespread water infrastructure collapse. Oxfam previously estimated that approximately 80% of water and sanitation networks in Gaza are damaged or destroyed. While, in July 2024, over 30 wells in Gaza were destroyed during military operations, further crippling Gaza’s already fragile water system.

In June 2025, Unicef warned of the possibility of a “man-made drought,” due to the drinking water system deteriorating.

Media official for Operation Gallant Knight 3, Sharif Al Nairab, said: “The UAE has been and continues to be the primary supporter of Gaza across various sectors, from the construction of desalination plants to the provision of water tankers, well drilling and network maintenance, all the way to this vital project that seeks to secure drinking water for the most affected areas.”