At the Third Global Disability Summit – Berlin: Dr. Samah Hamad Highlights the Plight of Persons with Disabilities in Palestine and Calls for International Action
Germany – Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs and Minister of Social Development, Dr. Samah Hamad, participated in the Third Global Disability Summit (GDS-2025), held in the German capital, Berlin, with wide international participation.
The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Berlin, represented by H.E. Mr. Laith Arafa, played a central role in ensuring the success of the Palestinian participation in the summit through close coordination with the organizing committee, managing the schedule of bilateral meetings, and accompanying the Minister throughout the various stages of the conference. The embassy also oversaw all logistical aspects and ensured effective Palestinian presence in official events, reflecting the diplomatic commitment to supporting the rights of persons with disabilities and reinforcing their place on the international agenda.
In her speech, Dr. Hamad highlighted the humanitarian catastrophe faced by persons with disabilities in Palestine, particularly in the Gaza Strip, due to ongoing aggression and the complete collapse of the healthcare and social service infrastructure. She stressed that this reality requires urgent and effective international action that goes beyond temporary humanitarian aid toward sustainable solutions that respect dignity and rights.
During the summit, which was held under the patronage of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and attended by ministers, representatives of international organizations, and UN experts from more than 130 countries, Dr. Hamad pointed out that the number of persons with disabilities in Palestine has reached 255,640, representing 5.8% of the total population, while the percentage in the Gaza Strip has risen to 6.2% due to repeated Israeli attacks, which have caused thousands of injuries leading to permanent disabilities, including no fewer than 4,500 amputations since the start of the recent aggression.
The Minister explained that the aggression has caused widespread destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, including the destruction of more than 40 rehabilitation centers, a complete halt in prosthetic and physiotherapy services, the destruction of half of the hospitals in the Gaza Strip, and severe shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies. She also noted that conditions of forced displacement and overcrowding in informal shelters pose a heightened risk to persons with disabilities, who lack even the minimum level of protection and support.
Dr. Hamad presented the Ministry of Social Development’s efforts to address these challenges, which included the provision of regular cash assistance to more than 50,000 persons with disabilities in the West Bank and Gaza through social protection programs, and the distribution of 1,172 assistive and rehabilitative devices, particularly for children with mobility impairments caused by direct injuries or deteriorating health conditions. She also highlighted the implementation of a free health insurance scheme benefiting more than 23,000 persons with disabilities in the West Bank, stressing the need to expand the program to Gaza in light of growing needs.
She also spoke about economic empowerment programs implemented by the Ministry, noting that 69 small-scale projects were carried out for persons with disabilities in the West Bank with funding amounting to $720,000, including production and vocational projects. In addition, development programs worth $2.3 million were implemented with support from the European Union and Arab funds to promote the independence of persons with disabilities and provide sustainable sources of income.
On the sidelines of the summit, Dr. Hamad held a bilateral meeting with the Norwegian support team, during which she discussed the importance of supporting the Ministry’s efforts to provide assistive medical devices and specialized supplies, enhance cooperation in the rehabilitation of damaged centers in Gaza, and build comprehensive response programs based on a long-term rights-based approach that ensures the inclusion of persons with disabilities at all stages of humanitarian response.
Dr. Hamad also met with H.E. Mr. Issam Al-Ahmar, Minister of Social Affairs of Tunisia, to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation in the fields of protecting and empowering women and girls with disabilities, exchanging experiences in inclusive social legislation and policies, and coordinating on community integration programs and specialized care for vulnerable families and groups.
In another meeting, Dr. Hamad met with Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services, Ms. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, and the accompanying delegation from the Republic of Türkiye, to explore ways of supporting rehabilitation programs in Gaza, enhancing cooperation in the provision of social, psychological, and health services for persons with disabilities, and providing technical and logistical support to Palestinian institutions working in the field of disability to ensure the continuity of services despite on-the-ground challenges.
At the conclusion of her participation, Dr. Samah Hamad affirmed that the suffering of persons with disabilities in Palestine is a real test of the international community’s commitment to the values of justice, dignity, and human rights. She stressed that the right to protection and care must not be selective, and that ignoring the grave violations in the Gaza Strip constitutes a blatant breach of international law that demands condemnation, accountability, and immediate action to ensure a safe and just environment for all persons with disabilities.
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Access to Services & Information in an Understandable Language Is a Fundamental Right of Persons with Disabilities
Ramallah – On the occasion of the International Day of Sign Languages, observed on 23 September, the Ministry of Social Development affirmed that sign language represents a fundamental right for deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, and that ensuring accessible communication and access to government, social, health, and educational services forms part of the right to equality, participation, and independence. The Ministry explained that its role in supporting persons with disabilities is not limited to providing assistive devices, but also includes case management and social follow-up, health insurance, referrals to rehabilitation services, provision of wheelchairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, hearing and vision examinations, medical supplies, protection and care services, economic empowerment, and linking persons with disabilities to specialized services and partner organizations. During 2026, the Ministry continued to develop its interventions for persons with disabilities through its directorates, centers, and partnerships with specialized institutions, with a focus on improving accessibility, facilitating access to services, and promoting social inclusion. The Ministry’s interventions also include providing assistive devices and technologies, following up on the most vulnerable cases, connecting them with rehabilitation, education, protection, and social support services, and working with partners to improve services in a manner that reflects different types of disabilities and the specific needs of each case. The Ministry stressed that sign language is not an additional service or a secondary support tool, but a fundamental means of exercising rights. The absence of accessible communication may prevent a deaf person from understanding a service, expressing their needs, reporting violence or abuse, or accessing care and protection. Providing reasonable accommodations and information in accessible formats is therefore an essential component of quality social services. This issue is of particular importance in the Gaza Strip, where war-related injuries have increased the number of people requiring rehabilitation services and assistive devices. Recent humanitarian reports indicate that around 2% of Gaza’s population is now living with serious conflict-related injuries, while shortages of rehabilitation equipment and assistive products, including hearing aids and mobility devices, persist, and the entry of such supplies continues to face prolonged delays. Reports also indicate an ongoing need for specialized services for children with disabilities in Gaza, including assistive devices, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and referral services. At the same time, children with hearing, mobility, or visual disabilities face additional barriers to accessing protection, education, and information in overcrowded displacement settings. In July alone, hundreds of children with disabilities received multisectoral support, including cash assistance, assistive devices, rehabilitation, psychosocial services, and specialized referrals. The Ministry emphasized that strengthening sign language services and accessibility should extend across government services, health and educational institutions, protection and shelter centers, humanitarian information, warnings, and emergency guidance, ensuring that deaf persons can access information at the same time and to the same standard as others. The Ministry called on government institutions, civil society, the private sector, and donors to increase investment in sign language interpretation services, training for service providers, expanded digital and physical accessibility, provision of hearing and other assistive devices, and support for rehabilitation and inclusion programmes. It stressed that building an inclusive social protection system begins with removing the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from independently and safely accessing their rights and services.
On World Alzheimer’s Day, MoSD Emphasizes the Importance of Expanding Specialized Care for Older Persons and Supporting Their Families
Ramallah – On the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day, observed on 21 September, the Ministry of Social Development emphasized that protecting older persons requires an integrated care system that goes beyond the health dimension to include social protection, residential, home-based and day-care services, psychosocial support, assistive devices and equipment, and support for families, caregivers, and service providers, particularly as needs associated with ageing, chronic diseases, and Alzheimer’s disease continue to increase. The observance of World Alzheimer’s Day aims to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, reduce stigma and discrimination, support families and caregivers, and promote early detection and access to health, social, psychological, and legal care services, thereby contributing to improving the quality of life of older persons and enhancing their independence and dignity. The Ministry explained that Alzheimer’s disease presents increasing challenges for older persons and their families, as it may be accompanied by memory decline, reduced ability to carry out daily activities, and the need for continuous follow-up and a safe environment. It stressed that preserving the dignity and independence of older persons to the greatest extent possible is a fundamental principle of social care and protection policies. On this occasion, the Ministry also emphasized the importance of ensuring effective legal protection for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in cases where their ability to manage their affairs or express their wishes has declined. The Ministry called for strengthening legislation and legal mechanisms that safeguard their rights, dignity, finances, and property, and regulate guardianship or supported decision-making procedures in accordance with the law and under the supervision of the competent authorities. The Ministry further stressed that any exploitation, abuse, appropriation, or dissipation of the money or property of a person living with Alzheimer’s disease, or any disposal of such assets without legal authorization, must entail legal accountability and the necessary judicial action against those responsible, regardless of their status or degree of kinship. This is essential to protecting the rights, dignity, interests, and financial rights of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease. As part of its interventions, the Ministry operates Beit Al-Ajdad in Jericho, the only government residential care center for older persons in Palestine, providing comprehensive and free residential care to 100 older women and men annually from all governorates. The Ministry also purchases residential care services for 150 older persons from five institutions: Al-Wafa Association in Salfit, the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Nablus, Dar Al-Kawthar Association in Anabta, Beit Al-Ajdad Association in Deir Al-Ghusun, and the Elderly Home Association in Jenin. In addition, 12 specialized social workers follow up on the conditions of older persons residing in residential and day-care institutions and those living outside such facilities. In partnership with relevant institutions, the Ministry provides day-care services to 800 older persons annually, home-based care to 350 older persons, psychosocial support to 300 older persons, individual and group counselling to 600 older persons, medical and assistive devices to 350 older persons, medicines and medical consumables to 900 older persons annually, and health, social, and legal awareness and education activities to 400 older persons. The Ministry also provides financial allowances and health insurance to 65,000 older persons. The Ministry is also working to expand services for older persons by strengthening and broadening home-based and day-care services and establishing day clubs in cooperation with local authorities. These efforts aim to reduce social isolation, promote active ageing, strengthen communication and solidarity between generations, benefit from the experience and knowledge of older persons, and maintain their connection with their families and communities. The Ministry also continues to review and develop the national framework for older persons in line with demographic and social changes and the evolving needs of this group. As part of developing national policies and legislation, the Ministry of Social Development has begun updating the National Strategy for Older Persons for 2027–2029, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and all relevant partners. Work will also soon begin on reviewing and developing the draft law on older persons, with financial and technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and in cooperation with partners, with the aim of adopting a modern Palestinian law that provides a protective and supportive environment for the rights of older persons. The Ministry is also strengthening the development of a national database on older persons through the Older Persons Form within the National Social Registry, which will provide more accurate data on their circumstances and needs. This will support the development of policies, improve the targeting of services and assistance in a more efficient and equitable manner, and strengthen evidence-based decision-making, particularly amid the continued hardship faced by older persons in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The Ministry emphasized the important role played by universities, scientific research centers, and institutions and associations working with older persons in developing research, knowledge, and services, building the capacities of professionals, and drawing on successful Arab and international experiences in working with older persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and adapting those experiences to the Palestinian context. The Ministry is also working to strengthen partnerships with the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and medical faculties at Palestinian universities to prepare specialized medical professionals to work with Alzheimer’s cases in the fields of geriatric medicine, palliative care, and geriatric nursing. Regarding the establishment of day clubs for older persons in towns and villages, the Ministry recently agreed with the Ministry of Local Government to begin work on five day clubs as an initial pilot phase in Beit Liqya, Beit Anan, Halhul, Tammun, and Battir. To date, only five local government directorates have submitted responses to their Ministry on this matter. The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Local Government will soon conduct a visit to the Beit Liqya Day Club to follow up on the provision of its needs through the General Directorate of Projects at the Ministry of Local Government and to proceed with its opening and operation. The Ministry’s General Directorate for Older Persons has already provided furniture and other needs for the Beit Liqya club in cooperation with the Juzoor for Health and Social Development Foundation. In the Gaza Strip, these needs are even more acute due to repeated displacement, overcrowding, difficulties in accessing medicines, food, water, and health services, and the loss of family and community care networks. Recent humanitarian reports continue to indicate displacement and restrictions on access to essential services, while older persons with disabilities and those with health and rehabilitation needs face severe shortages of supplies, assistive devices, and specialized services. The Ministry continues to follow up on the situation of older persons in Gaza, identify their needs, and cooperate with national and international partners to provide available assistance and essential supplies. The Ministry stressed that older persons, particularly those living alone or with chronic diseases or cognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, are at greater risk of neglect and disruption in access to medication, nutrition, and psychological follow-up during displacement and crises. This requires giving them priority within the humanitarian response, strengthening referral systems and home- and community-based care, and supporting families that bear responsibility for their care. The Ministry of Social Development called on local and international partners and donors to expand investment in specialized care for older persons, home-based and day-care services, psychosocial support, caregiver training, medicines, and assistive devices, as well as to ensure that the needs of older persons in the Gaza Strip are adequately addressed. The Ministry affirmed that caring for older persons is not a matter of charity, but a right linked to dignity, independence, protection, and participation in society, in accordance with the principles of human rights, international law, and international humanitarian law.
