Saudi Gazette report

CAIRO — Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor at the Royal Court and general supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), called on the international community and the United Nations organizations to mount pressure on Israel by all means to unconditionally allow the access of humanitarian and relief aid into the Gaza Strip.

He said this during a press conference held at the headquarters of the Saudi embassy in Cairo on Thursday on the sidelines of the signing of four joint cooperation agreements. The agreements, amounting to a total of SR150 million, were signed with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the World Food Program to provide relief to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Osama Naqli was also present at the ceremony.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah said that the agreements aim to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. “Everyone is aware of the humanitarian challenges that our people in Gaza have gone through and the extent of the large humanitarian need, including the shortage of medicine, food and water, and the displacement that has reached hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. We find it necessary to contribute to alleviate this human suffering.”

The KSrelief chief said the Kingdom was keen, under the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to launch a popular fundraising campaign. The KSrelief has been directed to launch the campaign with sending rapid relief consignments so as to contribute to alleviate this humanitarian catastrophe. As of Wednesday, an Air Bridge involving 15 relief planes were operated, in addition to a sea bridge, the first ships of which arrived at Port Said port of Egypt. Both bridges will continue for a period of time to cover humanitarian needs of Palestinians,” he said.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah noted the presence of a large volume of aid in the Egyptian city of Arish and Rafah Border Crossing, with more than 326 trucks and 20 ambulances waiting to enter Gaza. He thanked the Egyptian Red Crescent in facilitating the entry of this aid, whether from Arish Airport or the Port Said port. “The greatest challenge for all of us, as well as for the United Nations organizations, and all those who love peace and humanity is the entry of this aid into Gaza to meet the great humanitarian need and alleviate the suffering of our people there,” he said.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah sent a message to the organizations that signed agreements on Thursday with the KSrelief to interact quickly and work together to ensure the arrival of aid in the Gaza Strip.