RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday penned a deal with the UN to boost efforts to prevent the spread of the killer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Gaza.

Under the terms of the agreement, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) will provide the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) with vital supplies and medical equipment to help the agency’s fight against the deadly pandemic in Palestine.

The accord was signed by KSRelief General Supervisor Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini during a virtual meeting.

Al-Rabeeah said: “The agreement will benefit 2 million people. It includes providing all the necessary medical equipment and protective supplies. 

This will help meet the needs of medical teams fighting the outbreak of the virus in the Gaza Strip.

Al-Rabeeah said: “The agreement will benefit 2 million people. It includes providing all the necessary medical equipment and protective supplies such as ultrasound machines, patient monitors, infusion pumps, pulse oximeters, beds for patient transfers, N95 masks, medications, sterilizers, chronic disease medications, oxygen cylinders and antibiotics.

“This will help meet the needs of medical teams fighting the outbreak of the virus in the Gaza Strip.

“This move highlights the Kingdom’s leading role in alleviating the sufferings of all of the world’s struggling and needy people. It also reflects its keenness to harness its capabilities and resources to support humanitarian efforts in cooperation with the UN’s agencies and organizations and the international community,” he added.

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia had provided Palestine with aid amounting to $6.473 billion, of which $250 million had been allocated to UNRWA.

“The agreement comes in line with the directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to support all sisterly countries in their fight against the coronavirus pandemic,” Al-Rabeeah said.