Weekly Highlights: Dr. Samah Hamad Continues Efforts to Strengthen Humanitarian Response and Discusses Support Mechanisms for Displaced Families with Local and International Partners
As part of the government's ongoing efforts to strengthen the humanitarian response in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Dr. Samah Hamad, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, continued her field visits and coordination meetings throughout the week, aimed at organizing emergency interventions and reinforcing partnerships with both local and international actors.
During her meeting with the Palestinian Volunteers Association, attended by Major General Ahmad Fareed, Dr. Hamad discussed potential cooperation with the association, which provides free medical care to low-income families through its “Jabr Al-Khawatir Clinic” in the West Bank. The discussion also included the possibility of integrating the association’s services with the Unified Aid Portal launched by the Ministry to improve access to vulnerable households. The Minister praised the association's volunteer-driven work, which earned them the Volunteer Award, and welcomed their upcoming initiative to hold a volunteer medical day to benefit displaced families in northern areas of the West Bank.
In support of international partnerships, Dr. Hamad met with the European Union Delegation, where the latest EU financial support of €620 million was reviewed—an allocation set to cover salaries for public employees and retirees beginning in June. The meeting also addressed the situation of displaced persons in northern West Bank and the importance of expanding EU assistance to affected areas. Dr. Hamad urged the EU to exert pressure to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and open crossings, as the humanitarian crisis deepens following the Prime Minister’s formal famine declaration.
Dr. Hamad also participated in the Donor Coordination Group (DCG–HOC) meeting, organized by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, chaired by Minister Dr. Wael Zaqout and Mr. Ibrahim Lavia, Head of Cooperation at the European Commission and Deputy Chair of the group, with participation from EU countries, international donors, and humanitarian support agencies.
The meeting focused on urgent political, humanitarian, and economic developments in Gaza and the West Bank, and outlined the Palestinian government’s post-war priorities, particularly reforming the social protection system and advocating for a ceasefire to enhance strategic dialogue and consolidate global support for Palestine.
During the meeting, Dr. Hamad presented an overview of the current humanitarian conditions and the role of the Ministries of Social Development and Planning in leading the government’s relief and recovery plan.
In cooperation with UN agencies, Dr. Hamad met with the International Labour Organization (ILO) representative and briefed him on the work of the Government Emergency Operations Room in the southern governorates. They also discussed the situation of displaced persons in northern West Bank and explored joint efforts to enhance social protection and develop emergency response solutions.
In the same context, Dr. Hamad took part in the Government Aid Committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, which reviewed the latest relief efforts in the West Bank and Gaza and discussed ways to strengthen coordination with international institutions, especially in the areas of shelter, cash assistance, and food aid. In her remarks, Dr. Hamad emphasized the need to strengthen support for the most affected groups, particularly in northern West Bank and Gaza, by accelerating emergency aid disbursement and expanding the social protection framework.
Additionally, Dr. Hamad participated in a policy dialogue at Birzeit University, focused on the Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions in the Southern Governorates, where she presented the Palestinian government’s experience in humanitarian crisis management in a session attended by a wide group of students and academics.
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Dr. Hammad Continues Efforts to Strengthen Humanitarian Response and Expand International Partnerships
As part of the Palestinian government’s ongoing efforts to enhance the humanitarian response in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Dr. Samah Hammad, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, continued her field engagements and meetings this week, aimed at coordinating emergency interventions and strengthening local and international partnerships. Dr. Hammad met with a delegation from the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) in an introductory meeting held on the occasion of the introduction of the new Belgian Consul to the State of Palestine. The meeting was also attended by the Agency’s Regional Director in Jordan, Country Director in Palestine, Strategic Advisor, and the Manager of the Youth Protection and Civic Engagement Project. The discussions focused on expanding Belgian cooperation in Palestine. Dr. Hammad presented a comprehensive overview of the evolving humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza, particularly in areas hosting large numbers of displaced families. She stressed the importance of scaling up development and humanitarian interventions in these regions and called for targeted support toward economic empowerment projects, psychosocial support programs, and cash-for-work initiatives. She noted that the government’s central operations room would provide the agency with a list of priority intervention needs. Separately, Dr. Hammad received a delegation from the General Union of Persons with Disabilities, who acknowledged her active support for disability rights—particularly her prominent participation in the Global Disability Summit held in Berlin last April, where Palestine was among the first countries to sign the “Berlin-Amman Declaration,” a move widely regarded as pivotal and influential at the international level. The meeting reviewed progress on several key issues, notably the draft law on the rights of persons with disabilities, the revised executive regulation on customs exemptions, and the importance of including persons with disabilities in national relief plans for both the West Bank and Gaza, especially given the rising number of war-related injuries and disabilities. Dr. Hammad reaffirmed the Palestinian government’s commitment to taking concrete steps toward ensuring the full rights of persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on interventions in Gaza due to the worsening humanitarian situation. She also underscored the significance of the Berlin-Amman Declaration as a political and human rights reference point upon which to build national policies aligned with the government’s priorities in protection, inclusion, and social justice.
