The central argument of this book is based on the existence of non-universal but coexisting values that inspire humanitarianism, and the confrontation between values and practices in humanitarian aid implementation. The Gulf States, like any other donor states, are guided by the structural norms of the aid system and the politicisation of aid itself. However, originating from a different political and cultural background, including different Islamic understandings, they bring with them distinct practices and approaches within the system that can no longer be ignored.

Altea Pericoli brings together an analysis of Islamic norms and foreign aid interventions by the Gulf States through the study of various levels of aid implementation and policies, and examines their behaviour in a specific case study: the Syrian humanitarian response from 2015 to 2022. The analysis explores the top-down decision-making process of aid allocation by Qatar, the UAE and non-state regional actors, as well as the humanitarian negotiations and aid distribution conducted by Gulf charities and local organisations in Syria after 2015.