Riyadh: Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of the Arab Gulf Program for United Nations Organizations, has sent humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

The relief consignment, dispatched by Prince Talal, brother of King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, was flown to Egypt's Al Arish airport on board a UN relief plane.

"From Al Areesh, it was taken to Gaza via Rafah border crossing," said Prince Talal's son, Prince Khaled Bin Talal, who has been in Al Arish for two days to supervise the aid distribution.

In a press briefing, a copy of which was obtained by Gulf News, Prince Khaled said that the planeload of relief supplies includes medicine, medical equipment and other essentials.

"This initiative comes in line with the ongoing Saudi fundraising campaign, ordered by King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz," he added.

Prince Turki Bin Talal, brother of Saudi billionaire Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal, hailed Saudi Arabia's support to Palestinians and Prince Talal's initiative.

"We always uphold a message of love and compassion based on humaneness in general and Arabism in particular,'' Prince Turki said. He called the situation in Gaza a “humanitarian catastrophe''.