Jordan launches eight-day assistance air bridge with 16 flights daily to Gaza

• JAF carries out 125 airdrops, facilitates 266 others by allied forces, dispatches 53 aircraft to Gaza
• 16 military aircraft carrying relief, food, medical supplies, totalling 20 tonnes, sent to Gaza
• JHCO sends 147 humanitarian convoys, comprising 5,569 trucks carrying around 82,000 tonnes of aid to Strip

AMMAN — The first batch of humanitarian aid, part of an air bridge that the Kingdom dispatched for Gaza earlier on Tuesday, arrived in the Strip later on the day.

The Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF) on Tuesday announced that the Kingdom launched an eight-day air bridge with 16 flights daily to send assistance to Gaza.

During a conference at the King Abdullah II Air Base of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, JAF Media Director Brig. Gen. Mustafa Hiari said that the air bridge ensures the delivery of critical relief supplies to inaccessible areas, preventing spoilage or damage, according to an army statement.

Hiari highlighted that JAF was the first to execute humanitarian airdrops into Gaza, achieving the third-largest modern logistical supply operation.

To date, JAF has carried out 125 Jordanian airdrops, facilitated 266 airdrops by allied forces, and dispatched 53 aircraft to Gaza through Egypt's El Arish Airport, he noted.

Hiari stressed that JAF continues humanitarian initiatives through the field hospitals in northern and southern Gaza.

He said that the hospitals have treated more than 370,000 patients since the start of the Israeli war on the besieged Strip on October 7, 2023, and fitted 296 advanced prosthetics under the "Restoring Hope" initiative.

Hiari pointed out that JAF completed infrastructure for a new field hospital specialising in obstetrics and neonatal care, noting that the hospital is staffed with 82 personnel, including 55 from the Royal Medical Services.

Also speaking at the conference, Minister of Government Communication Mohammad Momani said that, under Royal directives, 16 military aircraft carrying relief, food and medical supplies, totalling 20 tonnes, were sent to Gaza via Qarara crossing in central Gaza for distribution in the north and south of the Strip, in coordination with the World Food Programme (WFP).

He added that this initiative is part of Jordan's ongoing efforts, directed by His Majesty King Abdullah, to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.

He also noted that two planes carrying aid from Italy and contributions from Greece and Malaysia are part of the relief effort.

Momani highlighted that Jordan was among the first countries to send aid and break the blockade on Gaza.

The minister added that Jordan’s national security relies on "steadfast support" for Palestinians' presence on their land and the rejection of Israeli displacement policies.

He underscored that this stance aligns with Jordan's strategic interests and its unwavering national and humanitarian principles.

Momani reiterated that regional peace can only be achieved by recognising the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent state.

Also speaking at the conference, Secretary-General of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) Hussein Shibli pointed out that Jordan had previously dispatched eight similar flights in late November, carrying seven tonnes of aid distributed by the WFP.

Shibli noted that 147 humanitarian convoys, comprising 5,569 trucks carrying around 82,000 tonnes of aid, have been sent to Gaza in cooperation with the JAF.

He stressed JHCO's commitment to Royal directives, ensuring continued coordination with relevant sides to maintain the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.