Hello and welcome to Emirati, a monthly newsletter from The National.

Emirates Humanitarian City (EHC) in Abu Dhabi has emerged as a sanctuary for more than 1,200 Palestinians who were evacuated from the ravages of war in Gaza.

It has been almost four months since they first sought solace in the UAE, where they have lived not only with physical wounds but also the heavy burden of grief paired with survivor's guilt.

From the harrowing moments of surviving air strikes that killed loved ones to the painful process of physical rehabilitation, their journey, which we explore here, is one of remarkable courage and unwavering determination.

They find themselves torn between the conflicting emotions of gratitude for their own survival and the overwhelming grief of leaving loved ones behind in Gaza.

Amid the sorrow and devastation of their situation, there is also hope. Children's laughter can occasionally be heard echoing through the temporary surroundings – their resilience a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

On Zayed Humanitarian Day, which represents the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, we witness here how his spirit is kept alive through continued humanitarian giving.

Thank you for reading,

Shireena Al Nowais

Wounded Gazan children recovering in UAE dream of end to war

A Palestinian girl seriously injured in an Israeli air strike has shared her dream of returning to a peaceful Gaza after being helped to walk again in Abu Dhabi.

Lama Suhel Mady, 11, suffered a fractured pelvis when a rocket attack reduced the building where she was sheltering to rubble. The strike killed 45 people.

She has received vital medical care at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Humanitarian City – which has become a sanctuary for 1,200 Palestinian evacuees – as part of a UAE humanitarian operation.

She is one of many Gazans wounded in the conflict who are being set on the road to recovery at the vast compound.

“The pain is gone,” said Lama, who was in a wheelchair when she first told her story to The National in January.

“I am almost done with my treatment and honestly, I expected to be able to walk again as soon as I heard that I was coming to the UAE.

“Now I just want to run back to Gaza and for the war to be over.”

Her mother, Sabreen Musa Mady, who is staying with her in the EHC, is thankful for the lifeline her family has been given.

Did you know?

Aid supplies being sent this week from the UAE to Palestine, containing essential equipment including tents and medical kits, are enough to support around 12,000 people inside Gaza, according to an senior official from the UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD).

Gaza war survivors mark Ramadan in UAE

Palestinians evacuated from Gaza and given a safe haven in the UAE have delivered impassioned prayers for peace in their besieged homeland as they reflected on a Ramadan marred by conflict.

More than 1,200 Gazans being housed at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Humanitarian City sat side by side for a poignant iftar on Tuesday evening as thoughts turned to loved ones in the Gaza Strip.

The traditional breaking of the fast, usually shared with friends and family, resonates deeply with a proud community left yearning for a return to better times after months of violence.

32,552 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli offensive began, Gaza's Health Ministry says, with women and children making up two thirds of the dead.

Dying in Gaza's sea: The desperate chase for aid packages

Mohammed Masoud fought for his life in the sea off Gaza to retrieve aid packages dropped from aircraft and survived. Twelve others were not as fortunate, and did not return to the shore.

With the scarcity of food and increasing fears of famine nearly six months into Israel's relentless war, many in the ravaged Palestinian enclave often risk their lives by swimming for long distances to secure the much-needed supplies.

“I saw death with my own eyes in the sea when I went after the aid," Mr Masoud, 35, told The National.

“In front of me in the sea, I saw young people drowning. I couldn't do anything to help them. The sea was pulling them in and most of us didn't know how to swim."