The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a warning about the potential for a Regional Spillover from the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The UAE is actively working to secure a humanitarian ceasefire. As the most prominent Arab country to sign the 2020 Abraham Accords with Israel, the UAE had hoped to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia. However, the ongoing war has hindered these plans. Noura Al Kaabi, a minister of state at the ministry of foreign affairs, emphasized the need to address the wider regional context and reduce tensions. She expressed concerns about the risk of further escalation and the potential for extremist groups to exploit the situation. The UAE views Islamist movements like Hamas as a significant threat to the Middle East. The country supported Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi when he ousted Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. Al Kaabi stressed the importance of protecting civilians and ending the conflict promptly. Arab states have been critical of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and its blockade of the territory, which has resulted in a high number of civilian casualties. The UAE has announced plans to treat 1,000 Palestinian children from Gaza but has not provided details on how they will be able to leave the besieged enclave. The current Israeli-Palestinian conflict began when Hamas militants breached the border on October 7. Israel claims that Hamas has killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taken over 200 hostages. In response, Israel has conducted airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 9,601 people, including 3,760 children. Al Kaabi reiterated the UAE’s commitment to achieving an immediate and comprehensive humanitarian ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of life-saving aid to Gaza. She also called for the protection of civilians and acknowledged that the conflict is a result of decades of failed attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Bahrain, another signatory to the Abraham Accords, recently announced that its ambassador to Israel has returned home, and the Israeli ambassador in Manama has left the kingdom. The nature of these diplomatic moves remains unclear. The UAE and Bahrain’s relations with Israel are being closely monitored.

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