Gaza: UAE-Linked Initiative Hosts Mass Wedding for 250 Couples
Mohammed Dahlan used the ceremony to call for Palestinian institutional reform and renewed commitment to rebuilding Gaza.
By Fatou Kim ·
Approximately 250 Palestinian couples were married in a mass ceremony in the Gaza Strip on Friday. The event was organized by Operation Gallant Knight 3, a United Arab Emirates humanitarian mission with ties to Mohammed Dahlan, an exiled former Fatah official.
The ceremony marks the third anniversary of the UAE mission. Dahlan, who lives in the UAE as a senior adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, addressed the attendees through a recorded video. He framed the wedding as an opportunity to honor Gazan sacrifices by reforming the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
In his address, Dahlan argued that Palestinians must restore their right to choose leadership through elections. "Our people deserve leadership that listens to their voices and institutions that safeguard their rights and act as guardians of their future," he stated. He pledged to continue working until an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established.
Dahlan also spoke directly to the newlyweds, expressing his joy and praying for kinder days ahead. He vowed to heal wounds and rebuild Gaza, promising that the territory would not be left alone to face Israeli aggression. "We will not leave Gaza alone to face Israeli aggression, nor abandon it as some leaders have failed to fulfill their responsibilities toward Gaza and the West Bank," he added.
Political support for Dahlan varies across the region. An October poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research found that 55% of Palestinians had heard a lot about him. In August, 15% of respondents named him their preferred successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, placing him behind Marwan Barghouti and slightly ahead of Khalil al-Hayya.
The poll also revealed regional divides in support for his political camp. A joint Hamas-Dahlan electoral list received 30% support in Gaza, compared to 7% in the West Bank. Dimitri Diliani, spokesperson for Fatah's Democratic Reform Faction, noted that the UAE aid helps families remain in Gaza by providing food, water, and medical care.
Diliani stated that the mission has delivered over 136,000 metric tons of assistance in three years. He emphasized that keeping families fed and children learning serves the national priority of ensuring Palestinians remain in their homeland.
