In June 2021, the PC version of Liyla became the centerpiece for a charity relief bundle that benefit Palestinian civilians, which was offered by indie game developers on the Itch.io website in response to the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.

The player is occasionally presented with branching narrative choices, although choosing not to move on at the first opportunity results in a swift death for the protagonist's daughter Liyla and consequently a game over scenario.

[2] Abuedieh was inspired to develop a video game about the 2014 Gaza War after witnessing a series of ground bombardments and air strikes conducted by Israeli forces against Palestinian settlements in the region.

He was particularly moved by a picture he saw of a father carrying the body of his dead daughter, which became the basis of Liyla as he was concerned about his inability to protect his family in the event that they become embroiled in an armed conflict.

[2][3] Abueideh wanted the bleakness of Liyla's final fate to convey the sense of hopelessness and helplessness experienced by many Palestinian survivors in the face of indiscriminate violence committed against them throughout the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, such as the 2014 Israeli shelling of UNRWA Gaza shelters.

[6] The PC version of Liyla was released on June 3, 2021, and was featured as the centerpiece for Itch.io’s Palestinian Aid bundle organize by indie game developers Alanna Linayre and Rami Ismail.

[10][2] Launched that same month and offering over one thousand games, the bundle raised over $900,000 US dollars for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza by the time it concluded its one week run.

While he felt that the "major unfortunate drawback" of Liyla is its exceedingly short length, he praised the game's for its "impressive job of packing quite a few elements" into its gameplay and narrative.

[15] In light of renewed hostilities and the escalation of violence during the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, Wired staff found that Liyla is "more relevant than ever", and cited its lasting cultural impact with examples like its pivotal role as part of Itch.io's Palestinian relief initiative.