Emirati charity linked to Mohammed Dahlan arranges mass wedding for 250 Gazan couples

Around 250 Palestinian couples married in a mass wedding in Gaza City on Friday, organized by the UAE's Operation Gallant Knight 3, linked to exiled Fatah figure Mohammed Dahlan. Dahlan broadcast a recorded address calling for Palestinian leadership reform and pledging continued support for Gaza's reconstruction.

Around 250 Palestinian couples married in a mass wedding ceremony in Gaza City on Friday, organized by the United Arab Emirates' humanitarian mission Operation Gallant Knight 3, which is linked to exiled Fatah figure Mohammed Dahlan. The event provided an opportunity for couples to marry despite war-related financial hardship and displacement. Dahlan, who serves as a senior adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, addressed the gathering in a recorded broadcast, calling for reform of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, and for restoring the right of Palestinians to choose their leadership through elections. He also pledged continued support for Gaza's reconstruction. The article notes that Dahlan has sought to build his political standing in Gaza, where he was born. A PCPSR poll from October found that 55% of Palestinians have heard a lot about Dahlan, and an August poll identified him as the preferred successor to PA President Mahmoud Abbas by 15% of respondents, behind Marwan Barghouti (39%) and Khalil al-Hayya (16%). Dimitri Diliani, spokesperson for Fatah's Democratic Reform Faction, told the Post that Emirati aid helps families remain in Gaza by sustaining access to food, water, medical care, shelter, and education, and said the operation has delivered over 136,000 metric tons of assistance in three years.