Saudi King, Crown Prince donate $13 million to fundraising campaign for Gaza

Saudi Arabia’s leaders donated over $13 million (SAR 50 million) to a fundraising campaign for Gaza.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz donated $8 million (SAR 30 million) and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave $5 million (SAR 20 million) to the campaign launched on Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Funds are being raised on the Sahem Platform by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) following the brutal war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which has displaced thousands of Gazans.

“…this fundraising campaign is part of the historical role of the Kingdom in supporting the brotherly Palestinian people in various crises, adding that the Saudi humanitarian and development support has never stopped reaching the Palestinian people,” the SPA report said, citing the Supervisor General of the KSrelief Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz.

Donations to the campaign can be made via the Sahem platform online or through the mobile application. Donors can also send their contributions directly to the campaign bank account.

On Friday, The United Nations launched an emergency aid appeal seeking $1.2 billion to help some 2.7 million people in Gaza and the West Bank.

“The original appeal, launched October 12, asked for $294 million to support nearly 1.3 million people. The situation has grown increasingly desperate since then,” the agency added.

The near-month-long war began on October 7 after Hamas militants stormed across the border and killed at least 1,400 people, according to an Israeli estimate, and took over 220 hostages.

In response, Israel has struck back hard at the Hamas-controlled territory with a relentless bombing campaign that has killed more than 9,000 people, mainly civilians, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.