Acting under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Humanitarian (DXBH) has launched a new air bridge to expedite the delivery of critical relief supplies to Gaza. This initiative serves to bolster the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ongoing efforts to provide essential medical aid to the region.
The operation commenced two days ago with the departure of a C-130 aircraft from the Dubai Air Wing. The flight transported 11 metric tonnes of vital medicines to Al Arish International Airport in Egypt, from where the cargo is being moved into Gaza. This initial delivery was followed by three additional flights carrying further consignments of medical supplies, tents, and fortified biscuits to address urgent nutritional requirements on the ground.
These four initial flights represent the beginning of a broader logistics operation, through which Dubai Humanitarian plans to facilitate the transport of approximately 150 metric tonnes of WHO medical and health supplies to Gaza in the coming weeks. All items are sourced from pre-positioned stocks at the WHO Global Logistics Centre in Dubai, underscoring the facility’s role in enabling large-scale, rapid humanitarian responses.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of Dubai Humanitarian, stated that the air bridge reflects the organization’s enduring commitment to supporting Gaza, guided by the leadership of the UAE and Dubai. He noted that despite regional challenges, Dubai Humanitarian has successfully managed several relief shipments this year to nations including Afghanistan, Mozambique, Lebanon, and Uganda. Al Shaibani also highlighted the organization’s flexible logistics, referencing an earlier three-truck convoy that delivered medical supplies to Gaza by land.
Robert Blanchard, Head of Emergency Operations at the WHO Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics, confirmed that the organization is delivering over $1.3 million worth of medical supplies intended to treat approximately 400,000 people in Gaza. He emphasized that the support provided by the Government of Dubai and Dubai Humanitarian is essential for maximizing the reach of these shipments while minimizing operational costs.
According to Blanchard, the partnership has been financially significant, saving Gaza’s health emergency operations more than $4 million in logistics costs since the conflict began. By utilizing these charter flights, the WHO is able to redirect limited financial resources toward expanding access to life-saving treatments for patients in urgent need within Gaza and across the globe.