The UAE is continuing humanitarian operations to support Palestinians in Gaza, with winter clothing, food and medical supplies moving through several relief initiatives as families prepare for colder weather.
One programme, launched by Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 in September, aims to provide winter essentials to one million people across the Gaza Strip. Separately, Dubai Humanitarian has coordinated air shipments of medical supplies for the World Health Organization (WHO), using Dubai’s established humanitarian logistics network.
The initiatives form part of a broader UAE response that combines air transport, land convoys and cooperation with humanitarian organisations to move assistance towards Gaza.
Winter clothing initiative targets one million people
On September 24, 2026, Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 announced its Winter Clothing initiative for Gaza. The Zayed for Good Foundation contributed 5,000 winter kits on the first aircraft, containing 50,000 jackets, blankets and other winter essentials, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
The initiative aims to reach one million beneficiaries. Its focus is on providing clothing and other essentials to Palestinian families ahead of winter.
The announcement identifies the winter programme as part of the UAE’s ongoing humanitarian efforts in Gaza. It does not, however, establish that all supplies intended for the initiative have already reached recipients.
Dubai’s air bridge supports medical deliveries
Dubai’s role in the humanitarian response also includes medical logistics.
In August, Dubai Humanitarian facilitated a series of flights supporting the WHO’s efforts to deliver medical assistance to Gaza. The first flight carried 11 metric tonnes of essential medicines aboard a C-130 aircraft bound for Al Arish International Airport in Egypt, from where the cargo was to be transported onwards to Gaza.
Three further flights followed, carrying additional medicines, tents and fortified biscuits. The wider operation was expected to facilitate approximately 150 metric tonnes of WHO medical and health supplies in the following weeks, according to the Dubai Media Office.
The operation draws on supplies held at the WHO Global Logistics Centre hosted by Dubai Humanitarian. This arrangement allows humanitarian organisations to mobilise pre-positioned stocks for emergency responses without having to source every shipment from the beginning of a crisis.
The August air bridge was a medical-relief operation. It should not be confused with the separate winter-clothing programme announced in September.
Land convoys continue to deliver food and shelter supplies
Air transport is only one part of the UAE’s relief effort.
On October 18, WAM reported that five humanitarian convoys comprising 60 trucks and carrying 789 tonnes of food and shelter supplies had entered Gaza during the week. The deliveries were organised under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, with supplies prepared through the UAE Humanitarian Aid Logistics Centre in Al Arish, Egypt.
The logistics centre supports the preparation and onward transport of humanitarian cargo. Supplies are received, sorted and organised before being moved towards Gaza through established delivery arrangements.
Using multiple transport methods gives relief organisations different ways to move assistance, although the arrival of supplies at a logistics centre or border crossing does not by itself establish when every item will reach its intended recipient.
Why winter preparations matter
Winter relief addresses needs that differ from those met by food and medical shipments alone. Jackets, blankets and other protective clothing can help families cope with lower temperatures, while shelter supplies support the wider humanitarian response.
For people living in difficult and unstable conditions, the availability of these essentials is an important part of preparing for seasonal changes. The stated target of one million beneficiaries under the UAE’s winter-clothing initiative indicates the intended scale of the programme, rather than a confirmed count of people who have already received assistance.
The separate airlift and convoy operations also show how humanitarian assistance depends on coordination between aid organisations, transport providers and teams responsible for moving cargo through the region.
For Dubai, facilitating international relief shipments is part of its wider humanitarian logistics role. Its contribution includes helping organisations mobilise supplies and arrange transport, while the winter initiative and land convoys operate under distinct parts of the UAE’s broader relief effort.
The confirmed announcements show continuing activity across winter clothing, medical aid and food and shelter deliveries. The pace at which assistance reaches families will depend on the onward delivery process and the ability of humanitarian teams to sustain their operations.
1. What winter aid is the UAE sending to Gaza?
The UAE’s Winter Clothing initiative includes jackets, blankets and other winter essentials. The first aircraft carried 5,000 winter kits containing 50,000 jackets and other supplies.
2. How many people is the winter initiative intended to help?
Operation Chivalrous Knight 3’s Winter Clothing initiative aims to reach one million beneficiaries in Gaza. This is the programme’s target, not a confirmed total of recipients.
3. What role does Dubai play in Gaza relief?
Dubai Humanitarian facilitates humanitarian logistics, including air shipments of medical supplies on behalf of the WHO.
4. What medical aid was transported through Dubai’s air bridge?
The August 2026 operation included essential medicines, additional medical supplies, tents and fortified biscuits. Its wider planned shipments covered approximately 150 metric tonnes of WHO medical and health supplies.
5. How is UAE aid transported towards Gaza?
Relief operations use air transport and land convoys, with supplies also processed through logistics facilities in Al Arish, Egypt.
6. How much aid entered Gaza in the October 18 convoy report?
WAM reported that five convoys comprising 60 trucks carried 789 tonnes of food and shelter supplies into Gaza during that week.
7. Have all winter supplies reached their intended recipients?
The available announcement confirms the launch of the initiative and the contents of its first aircraft. It does not confirm that the full target allocation has reached all intended beneficiaries.
