Six cargo flights and a dedicated cargo ship will transport over 4,400 tonnes of emergency food aid under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
DUBAI — Emirates News Agency (WAM) / Digital News Desk : The United Arab Emirates on Friday began relief flights from Al Maktoum International Airport to deliver more than 10 million meals to the Gaza Strip, launching the air component of the newly formed Ahmed bin Rashid Humanitarian Bridge.
Organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) in partnership with the UAE’s Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the corridor combines air and maritime routes to move essential food supplies directly to displaced Palestinians facing acute shortages.
The logistical plan comprises seven dedicated shipments. Six cargo aircraft will transport 450 tonnes of emergency food parcels, while a dedicated cargo vessel will carry an additional 4,000 tonnes of dry goods and food staples by sea. Together, the consignments account for the full 10-million-meal target set during a large-scale community packing drive held earlier at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
The community mobilisation brought together thousands of volunteers, civic groups, and sports figures who packed relief cartons in memory of the late Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, honouring his public patronage and charitable contributions across Dubai and the wider Emirates.
Hammoud Al Afari, Director of UAE Relief Operations under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, said field teams mobilized rapidly to coordinate transport clearances and ramp operations.
“The launch of flights under the Ahmed bin Rashid Humanitarian Bridge reflects the high level of efficiency and expertise of the Emirati teams involved,” Al Afari said, pointing to the logistical coordination required to sustain cross-border supply lines.
Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 was established in November 2023 under the directives of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Since its rollout, the relief umbrella has channeled more than $4 billion in humanitarian support, representing roughly 46 percent of all recorded international assistance delivered to Gaza during that span. Total supplies delivered exceed 130,700 tonnes, transported aboard 796 aircraft, 25 cargo vessels, and 14,483 overland trucks.
MBRGI, which serves as the principal coordinating charity for the bridge, spent more than AED 2.3 billion across humanitarian, healthcare, and education sectors in 2025, reaching an estimated 165 million beneficiaries across 122 countries. The foundation’s dedicated emergency relief arm accounted for AED 625 million of that expenditure.
Additional air dispatches are scheduled throughout the coming days from Dubai South, with maritime loading underway to dispatch the 4,000-tonne sea shipment to regional transit hubs serving southern Gaza.
