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 facilitate the delivery of vital relief supplies to Gaza. This initiative supports the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its mission to provide urgent medical aid to the region.
The operation commenced two days ago when the first flight departed from the Dubai Air Wing. A C-130 aircraft transported 11 metric tonnes of essential medicines to Al Arish International Airport in Egypt, from where the cargo is being moved into Gaza. Three subsequent flights have since delivered additional consignments, including further medical supplies, tents, and fortified biscuits designed to address critical nutritional needs on the ground.
These initial four flights represent the beginning of a broader logistics operation. Over the coming weeks, Dubai Humanitarian plans to facilitate the transport of approximately 150 metric tonnes of WHO health and medical supplies. These goods are sourced from pre-positioned stocks at the WHO Global Logistics Centre in Dubai, which serves as a vital hub for enabling rapid, large-scale international humanitarian responses.
Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of Dubai Humanitarian, stated that the air bridge reinforces the organization’s long-term commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza, aligned with the directives of the UAE and Dubai’s leadership. He noted that despite regional challenges, Dubai Humanitarian has successfully coordinated relief shipments this year to various nations, including Afghanistan, Mozambique, Lebanon, and Uganda. Al Shaibani also highlighted the organization’s operational flexibility, citing a three-truck overland convoy delivered earlier this year as evidence of their multimodal approach to logistics.
Robert Blanchard, Head of Emergency Operations at the WHO Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics, emphasized the significance of this partnership. He noted that the WHO is currently delivering over $1.3 million worth of medical supplies intended to treat roughly 400,000 people in Gaza. Blanchard credited the generosity and operational support of the Government of Dubai and Dubai Humanitarian for enabling these charter flights, which allow the WHO to reach more patients while maximizing limited financial resources.
The impact of this collaboration is substantial, with Blanchard reporting that since the conflict began, these charter flights have saved Gaza’s health emergency operations more than $4 million in logistics costs. By reducing these overheads, the WHO can redirect funds toward expanding access to life-saving treatments for those in urgent need, both within Gaza and across other global humanitarian crises.
Source: Gulf Today
