Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman have directed the intensification of air, sea, and land relief efforts in response to the humanitarian situation and alleviate the suffering in the Gaza Strip, through the Saudi popular campaign.
This was disclosed by Advisor to the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah. “This generous directive is a continuation of the Kingdom's humanitarian efforts to aid those affected in the Gaza Strip through the Saudi popular campaign. It also reflects the Kingdom's longstanding historical role in standing with the brotherly Palestinian people during the various crises and hardships they face,” he said while noting that Saudi Arabia underscores that Palestine will forever remain firmly rooted in the hearts of the Kingdom's leadership and people.
Dr. Al-Rabeeah expressed his profound gratitude to King Salman and Crown Prince for this noble and generous humanitarian gesture. He noted that the Kingdom's unwavering generosity is a deeply ingrained value of the Saudi people, a firmly established approach whose giving has never ceased and whose noble stances are ever-present in all circumstances.
It is worthy to note that the Kingdom, through the KSrelief, has established an air and sea bridge to provide relief to the Palestinian people. To date, 77 planes and eight ships have delivered more than 7,699 tons of food, medical supplies, and shelter materials. In addition, 912 Saudi relief trucks have arrived in the Gaza Strip carrying food aid, shelter supplies, medical equipment, and other essential relief supplies.
The aid also included sending 20 ambulances to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. In addition, the KSreliefs signed agreements with international organizations to implement relief projects within the Gaza Strip worth $90.3 million. Furthermore, airdrops were carried out in partnership with Jordan to circumvent the closure of border crossings and ensure the delivery of aid.
The Saudi help came at a time when Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice this winter. With more than 400,000 homes destroyed in the Israeli aggression, Gazans are being forced to choose between living in tents exposed to the elements or run the risk of living inside the ruins of buildings that could collapse any minute.
According to the United Nations, humanitarian partners in the Gaza Strip are struggling to reach hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people as winter storms batter damaged homes and temporary shelters. It estimates that over one million people – around half of Gaza’s population – still urgently need shelter support.
