Saudi Aid to Palestine Amounts to $6 Billion in 17 Years

KSRelief General Supervisor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah holds a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York. (SPA)
KSRelief General Supervisor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah holds a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York. (SPA)
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Saudi Aid to Palestine Amounts to $6 Billion in 17 Years

KSRelief General Supervisor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah holds a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York. (SPA)
KSRelief General Supervisor Abdullah Al-Rabeeah holds a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York. (SPA)

Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor to the Royal Court and General Supervisor of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) said that the total amount of aid provided by Saudi Arabia to the Palestinian people over the last 17 years exceeded $6 billion (23 billion Saudi riyals), in addition to the assistance offered by the National Committee for the Relief of the Palestinian People.
 
In a press statement, the Saudi official noted that the Kingdom has provided “ongoing and extensive support” to the people of Palestine, adding that between 2000 and 2018, Saudi aid and development support has exceeded $6 billion.
 
Among the Kingdom’s partners in delivering assistance in Palestine are various UN agencies, the Saudi National Committee for the Relief of the Palestinian People, and national and international NGOs, according to Rabeeah.
 
He added that Saudi Arabia has provided aid to the Palestinian people in several assistance categories, which included development aid, exceeding $4.5 billion, humanitarian aid, nearly reaching $1.1 billion, and philanthropic assistance that amounted to $17.3 million.
 
An amount of $200 million was also pledged by the Kingdom, including $50 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and $150 million to support the Palestinian Waqf Program in Jerusalem.
 
Rabeeah underlined that the most important development assistance provided by the Kingdom was a $263.17 million project to build and renovate housing units in Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as well as Ain Al Hilweh and Nahr Al Bared refugee camps.
 
The Kingdom also funded a $107 million housing project in Rafah (Phase I), implemented through UNRWA, for the construction of an integrated residential city, including 752 housing units for 4,564 people, four schools, a health center, a cultural center, a mall, a mosque, paved roads, street lights and water supply facilities.
 
Phase II of the same Rafah project included 765 housing units for 4,761 people, two schools, a mosque, and electricity and water supply infrastructure.
 
Saudi Arabia’s programs to assist the Palestinians were provided either directly by the Kingdom, or in collaboration with KSrelief’s partners, including international organizations and UN agencies such as UNRWA, WFP, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNESCO, the Saudi official said.



Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Congratulates Damascus

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
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Saudi Arabia Welcomes US Decision to Lift Sanctions on Syria, Congratulates Damascus

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday a US decision to lift sanctions imposed on Syria pursuant to the Caesar Act, affirming that this step will contribute to supporting the country’s stability, prosperity, and development in a manner that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the Kingdom commended the significant and positive role played by US President Donald Trump, beginning with his announcement to lift all sanctions imposed on Syria during his historic visit to Riyadh in May 2025, and culminating in his signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, which included the repeal of the Caesar Act.

The Kingdom also extended its sincere congratulations to the Syrian leadership, government, and people on the lifting of all sanctions imposed on Syria.

The statement expressed Saudi Arabia’s appreciation for the steps taken by the Syrian government to restore stability across all Syrian territories, create conducive conditions for rebuilding the state and economy, and facilitate the return of refugees and displaced persons.


Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Call with Foreign Minister II of Brunei Darussalam

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
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Saudi Foreign Minister Holds Phone Call with Foreign Minister II of Brunei Darussalam

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah -File Photo (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call with Minister for Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

During the call, the two officials reviewed bilateral relations between their countries and discussed issues of common interest.


King Salman Center Sets Up Camps for Displaced Gaza Residents


The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
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King Salman Center Sets Up Camps for Displaced Gaza Residents


The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has established the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah, as displaced people struggle with the impact of war and cold weather (KSrelief)

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) said it has set up the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah in Gaza, as thousands of Palestinians displaced by the war grapple with harsh winter conditions brought by a cold and rainy weather system this week.

Fahad Al-Osaimi, the center’s director of emergency relief, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the camp is sheltering more than 200 displaced families, with the number of beneficiaries exceeding 2,000 women, children and elderly people whose homes and tents were damaged or destroyed by the war and recent weather conditions.

He said the center is currently operating under a rapid response mechanism to appeals received by its operations and emergency room in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Osaimi said two fully equipped camps were completed this week, and that preparations are underway to establish several additional camps in coordination with relevant United Nations agencies, based on assessed needs on the ground.

He said the camp is playing a critical role in providing refuge to hundreds of families whose tents were flooded or collapsed due to heavy rainfall, offering safer shelter that helps mitigate humanitarian risks, particularly for children, women and the elderly.

Al-Osaimi said the center’s efforts extend beyond emergency shelter, noting that work is ongoing to establish organized camps that meet international humanitarian response standards and to ensure they are supplied with essential services.

These services include blankets, shelter materials, clothing for women and children, sanitation facilities such as toilets, hygiene kits and cleaning supplies, in addition to other forms of relief assistance as needs arise.

He said the interventions form part of KSrelief’s sustained efforts to alleviate the suffering of displaced people in the Gaza Strip and bolster their resilience amid severe humanitarian and weather conditions.

The deteriorating weather has coincided with growing uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire agreement and the possibility of moving to its second phase. According to local and international organizations, living conditions for displaced people continue to worsen.

Against this backdrop, the establishment of the largest displacement camp in Deir al-Balah marks a fresh chapter in Saudi Arabia’s emergency response to Palestinians, particularly Gaza residents, since the outbreak of the war following Oct. 7, 2023, providing lifelines to more than 2,000 people facing mounting challenges.