Saudi Arabia attends Paris International Conference to help civilians in Gaza

Saudi Arabia on Thursday took part in the Paris International Humanitarian Conference, organized on the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. (SPA)

• Delegation led by senior official from aid agency KSrelief
• Kingdom has implemented 274 aid projects worth $5.19bn since conflict began

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday took part in the Paris International Humanitarian Conference, organized on the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Kingdom’s delegation was led by Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, assistant supervisor general director for planning and development at the aid agency KSrelief, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In his speech Al-Ghamdi thanked France for organizing the conference and the countries and organizations taking part for their efforts to ease the suffering of those living in Gaza by establishing mechanisms to speed up the supply of food aid, medical supplies and energy.
“Today, we gather to revive hope in the souls of our affected brothers in the Gaza Strip who have endured the bitterness of pain over an entire month during which their tragedy has surpassed the limits of humanity, and to share the burdens of our legal and moral responsibilities dictated by our humanitarian values and principles by providing urgent humanitarian support to the Palestinian people,” he said.
Since the start of the crisis, Saudi Arabia, working with the UN and global aid organizations, had implemented 274 humanitarian projects worth a combined $5.19 billion, of which 112 projects, worth almost $370 million, had been carried out by KSrelief, Al-Ghamdi said.
Also, a campaign, launched under the directive of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to collect donations from Saudi citizens to support the Palestinian people had so far raised more than $115 million, he said.
Saudi Arabia would continue to call for intensive efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, lift the blockade, open crossings, deliver aid and implement international humanitarian law, Al-Ghamdi said.