Who is more deserving of aid in light of limited resources and the multitude of needy due to war: relatives or those in direst need? And is it better to fully support a limited number of people, or to expand the scope of aid without ensuring sufficiency for anyone? What are the Sharia rulings in this regard?

The one most in need is given priority in assistance and charity, then the next most in need, and so on. If they are equal in need, then the closest in relation is given priority.

As for voluntary charity (Sadaqat al-Tatawwu'), it is a Sunnah (recommended practice), and it is recommended to give in charity what exceeds one's permanent sufficiency, without limit or specific time.

In such a case, the priority is to secure the sufficiency of a number of targeted poor or needy individuals by giving them what fulfills their needs for a certain period. This is better than distributing money among a large number of them such that none of them receives what is sufficient for them. However, the matter remains open to ijtihad (independent reasoning) and consideration of what best serves the interest.