UAE helps Gaza: What to donate, where to bring them, all you need to know

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Humanitarian aid workers on the ground have been sounding the alarm for days: Gaza needs help and the situation is getting worse 'by the minute'.

The total death toll in the war between Israel and Hamas has ballooned to more than 4,500 — with an airstrike killing at least 500 at a Gaza hospital on Tuesday. Hundreds and thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes, not knowing where to go. And with Gaza under siege, everything is running out: Food, water, electricity, fuel, all the basic needs for survival.

Coming together in compassion for those suffering in the brutal war, the UAE has begun a nationwide humanitarian drive to collect and mobilise relief for the most vulnerable — particularly the more than one million children who make up nearly half of Gaza Strip's population.

Donations have been pouring in as the assembly of relief parcels started in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Licensed humanitarian organisations in the country — Emirates Red Crescent and Unicef Gulf — have opened channels where residents can donate in cash or in kind.

Here's a guide:

Where can you send monetary donations?

Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) activated an online channel where people can donate via Apple Pay, by card, text message, or bank transfer. Here's the link: https://www.emiratesrc.ae/Gaza/ (best accessed on a mobile phone)
Unicef Gulf is accepting one-time and monthly donations. Go to this link https://linktr.ee/unicefgulf and click on 'Urgent appeal for children of Gaza crisis'

What items can you donate?

For those who wish to donate in kind, ERC shared lists of items that people in Gaza need the most.

The organisation said donors could arrange the relief parcels in three categories: Food basket, children's basket, and women's basket.

For each basket, items have been specified, including the quantities:

For kids basket:

2 Milk Powder
2 Cerelac
2 Liquid milk (Aptamil)
1 Dietary supplement
1 Towel
1 Biscuit pack
2 Toothpaste
3 Toothbrushes
6 Soap
1 Shampoo
1 Body Cream
3 Baby Diapers
2 Wet wipes

For women's basket:

2 Towels
1 Blanket
1 Disinfectant
2 Shampoo
6 Soap
2 Toothpaste
5 Toothbrushes
1 Shaving kit
2 Women's cotton pads

For food carts:

1 Flour
1 Oil
Dates
3 Foul
2 Hummus Seeds
3 Hummus Tahini
2 Green peas
2 Corn
4 Tuna cans
2 Meat
Tea
Salt
Sugar
Biscuits

Where to bring your donations?

Emirates Red Crescent has branches across the UAE:

Dubai: Garhoud street - next to Sheikh Zayed Housing
Abu Dhabi: The General Secretariat, Zayed Sports City
Abu Dhabi: Baniyas
Al Ain: Beside Alain Coop
Sharjah: Alrahmaniya area, Sharjah - Althed intersection 6
Ajman: Meshairef area - Behind Etisalat
Ras Al Khaimah: Dafan al Khor - Beside RAK Bridge
Fujairah: King Faisal Street
Al Dhafra: Near Alradwan Mosque
Umm Al Quwain: Alraas area C - AlMualla street 26
RCUAE Sharjah Hospital: AlWehda Road - Hilwan Alramla - West

Businesses contributing to the cause

From restaurants to baby shops, a number of businesses in the UAE have annoucned that they are donating full or a percentage of their sales for a certain period.

Among the food outlets that are sharing their blessings are Mama Rita, Maiz, Mamaesh, Burro Blanco, The Palestinian Bakery, Rascals Deli and Koala Picks. Online shops like Lullabae, Babies Basic, and Monkibox are also joining the cause.