As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ongoing humanitarian efforts to support the Palestinian people, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributing urgent relief aid in the Gaza Strip. Yesterday saw the distribution of large quantities of winter clothing, specifically targeting sick children and medical staff working in hospitals and health centers throughout the northern and southern parts of the Strip, in cooperation with the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, the implementing partner on the ground.
The Saudi Popular Campaign: A Bridge of Giving
This initiative is an integral part of the Saudi public campaign to aid the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, launched under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister. Since its launch through the "Sahem" platform, this campaign has successfully garnered massive public donations, enabling the Kingdom to establish an air and sea bridge comprising hundreds of planes and trucks loaded with food, medical supplies, and shelter materials to alleviate the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
The importance of timing: harsh winter and complex health conditions
This distribution is doubly important given the critical timing in the Gaza Strip, coinciding with the onset of winter and a significant drop in temperatures, amidst a severe shortage of heating, electricity, and fuel. Patients, especially children, suffer from weakened immune systems exacerbated by the bitter cold, making the provision of winter clothing a health necessity, not a luxury. Furthermore, targeting medical personnel with this aid sends a message of solidarity to the healthcare workers who continue to work tirelessly day and night under immense pressure and in extremely dangerous field conditions with limited resources.
Beneficiary reactions and the historical role of the Kingdom
The patients and medical staff who benefited from the aid expressed their deep gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, stressing that this humanitarian gesture from the King Salman Relief Center brought warmth to their bodies, hope to their souls, and a feeling that they are not alone in this ordeal.
This support is a historical extension of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s firm stances towards the Palestinian cause, as the Kingdom is considered one of the largest donor countries to Palestine over the decades, whether through direct support or through international organizations such as UNRWA, thus confirming its moral and humanitarian commitment towards the Palestinian people in various crises and hardships.
