A Palestinian boy is poured with water to stay cool during hot weather on the outskirts of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on May 19, 2020. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) flew its first publicly announced flight to Israel on Tuesday when Etihad Airways sent medical supplies to help the Palestinians cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Except for Jordan and Egypt, Arab countries have no official relations with Israel but Gulf Arab nations like the UAE and the Jewish state have been warming ties recently amid shared concern over Iran.

The official UAE news agency WAM said the flight involved the delivery of 14 tons of urgent medical supplies that "will support the efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and its impact in the occupied Palestinian territory."

The Etihad delivery was described as part of broader humanitarian efforts.

"Etihad Airways continues to operate many humanitarian flights providing much needed aid to nations within its network and beyond."

The Arab countries have called for a settlement to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as a condition for normalizing ties with the Jewish state.

The Arab League frequently denounces Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank. 

But Gulf Arab states have shown signs of a rapprochement with Israel. 

AFP