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Saudi Donations to Gaza Exceed $100 Million

Trucks with Saudi aid to the Palestinian people (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Trucks with Saudi aid to the Palestinian people (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Donations to Gaza Exceed $100 Million

Trucks with Saudi aid to the Palestinian people (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Trucks with Saudi aid to the Palestinian people (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi donations to the National Campaign to support the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip via the "Sahem" portal exceeded $102 million on its fifth day since its launch.

On Thursday, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued directives to launch a fundraising campaign on Sahem affiliated with the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) to aid the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Conditions are worsening in the Gaza Strip under Israeli strikes. The Palestinians need support amid lack of adequate food, shelter, clean water or medicine.

More than half a million donors provided direct financial support to alleviate the suffering in Gaza and contribute to providing the people with the necessities of life.

On Oct. 15, the Saudi Ambassador to Jordan, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi, presented a check for the annual contribution of $2 million from Saudi Arabia to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The contribution will allow the UNRWA to continue providing vital relief services such as food, medicine, and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini lauded the Kingdom for its ongoing support. He said the Kingdom consistently stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people and supports the agency in achieving its humanitarian goals.

Lazzarini stressed the importance of solidarity and support from the international community.

He urged UN member states and the international community to lend their support to the agency's efforts in assisting the Palestinian people, who are currently facing challenging conditions.

KSrelief embodied the Saudi role in supporting reconstruction and development and providing relief worldwide, making it the most significant supporter and prominent source of relief in the Middle East and various regions.

The center provides assistance to 94 countries worldwide, implementing 2,587 humanitarian and relief projects worth more than $6 billion within just eight years of its launch. It targets vital sectors such as food, education, health, nutrition, water, environmental restoration, and shelter.

Saudi diplomacy is exerting extraordinary momentum to mobilize an Arab, regional, and international position toward stopping Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territories and ensuring the arrival of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Riyadh will host four summits within 48 hours early next week, starting with an emergency Arab League summit to discuss the situation in Gaza, two Saudi and Arab summits with Africa, and a summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries on Sunday.

The Kingdom repeatedly called on the international community, represented by the Security Council, to assume its responsibilities and stop the escalation, prevent the forced displacement of Gazans, and find a just and comprehensive political solution to the Palestinian cause.

Meanwhile, senior Humanitarian Affairs at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Abdul Haq al-Amiri, asserted that Saudi Arabia is in constant contact with international relief and humanitarian organizations, maintaining that the Kingdom has no political or ethnic purposes.

Saudi support and relief programs are established through many official platforms that the government founded years ago, including the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center.

The Kingdom focused on rationing support and aid, targeting vital and strategic aspects that benefit individuals and governments of affected countries.

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Iranian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Committed to Peace and Stability with Saudi Arabia

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
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Iranian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: Committed to Peace and Stability with Saudi Arabia

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi (Reuters)

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi reaffirmed Iran and Saudi Arabia’s mutual determination to establish lasting peace and stability in the region.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat during his visit to Riyadh, Ravanchi emphasized that achieving this goal requires sustained bilateral and regional cooperation to address current threats and build a foundation for prosperity and security.
During his meetings with the Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eng. Waleed ElKhereiji, Ravanchi discussed strengthening bilateral relations in political, economic, and consular fields, and explored key regional and international issues.
He described Saudi-Iranian efforts as a “successful model of bilateral and multilateral cooperation,” aimed at fostering peace, security, and development on both regional and international levels. Ravanchi underscored the importance of historical ties and the principle of good neighborliness as the basis for advancing this relationship.
Following the second meeting of the Saudi-Chinese-Iranian trilateral committee in Riyadh, both Saudi Arabia and Iran reiterated their full commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement, according to a statement by the Saudi foreign ministry. The accord, mediated by China, aims to restore diplomatic ties and promote mutual respect for sovereignty and security in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and international law.
China praised the progress achieved since the agreement’s signing, including the reopening of embassies and increased bilateral engagement. It pledged to continue supporting Saudi-Iranian efforts to deepen their cooperation and maintain regional stability.
Ravanchi, who previously served as Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations and was a member of the Iranian nuclear negotiating team with the P5+1, described the atmosphere of the meetings as “cordial and transparent.” He added that the three nations exchanged views on topics of mutual interest and stressed the importance of continuing this “positive and forward-looking process.” He also revealed “constructive and friendly” meetings held by the Iranian delegation with their Saudi hosts and Chinese counterparts, during which they discussed enhancing bilateral and trilateral cooperation and reviewed developments in relations over the past year.
One significant development has been the improvement in consular services. Over 87,000 Iranian pilgrims performed Hajj, and more than 52,000 completed Umrah in the past year, demonstrating enhanced coordination. Additionally, the first meeting of the Saudi-Iranian Joint Media Committee and the signing of an MoU between Saudi Arabia’s Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies and Iran’s Institute for Political and International Studies further strengthened institutional ties.
The trilateral meeting also tackled pressing regional challenges, particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The participants condemned Israel’s aggression in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iran, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the continuation of humanitarian aid to affected regions. They warned that ongoing violence poses significant risks to regional and global security, including threats to maritime safety.
On Yemen, the parties reiterated their support for a comprehensive political solution under United Nations auspices. They emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve lasting peace in the war-torn country.
Saudi-Iranian relations have undergone a remarkable transformation since the signing of the Beijing Agreement. The reopening of embassies, including Iran’s embassy in Riyadh in June after a seven-year hiatus, marked a turning point in their ties.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Alireza Bigdeli described the day as a “historic milestone” in Saudi-Iranian relations. He expressed confidence that the renewed relationship would reach its peak, emphasizing that the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia opens a new chapter in bilateral and regional relations, aimed at greater cooperation and stability.