Within a Week: MoSD Intensifies Field Interventions and Expands Partnerships to Protect Vulnerable Groups
Ramallah – The Palestinian Ministry of Social Development, under the leadership of Minister Dr. Samah Hamad, who also serves as Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, has continued to strengthen its humanitarian and field interventions across governorates, while expanding coordination with local and international partners amid the exceptional conditions facing Palestine.
In Salfit Governorate, the minister visited the Directorate of Social Development and the Biddya sub-office, meeting with field teams and reviewing progress in organizing files and programs to improve aid delivery. Food parcels were distributed to orphan-supporting families, and the minister visited Al-Riyad Charitable Society for Persons with Disabilities, where she emphasized expanding service-purchase mechanisms to integrate children with special needs into the national social protection system. She also reviewed preparations at the autism center, a key project aimed at improving services for children. During her visit, Dr. Hamad met with the governor and the mayor of Salfit, discussing the ministry’s aid efforts exceeding 270 million shekels, and announced a new national initiative to enhance social protection programs and follow up on key social infrastructure projects.
At the national level, the ministry reaffirmed its firm stance on women’s right to safety and protection, strongly condemning a recent case of gender-based violence in Yatta, and called on society to take firm action against all forms of violence. Emergency hotline numbers and support channels were re-shared for those seeking help.
As part of internal coordination, the minister chaired a high-level meeting with the deputy minister, assistant undersecretaries, and directors of central units and field directorates. The meeting discussed the regulation of social professions and the establishment of a legal framework to ensure quality and accountability of services. She also led a sector working group meeting on social protection, attended by UN agencies and donors, which focused on the government’s operations room updates, the development of digital services, and improving targeting for the most vulnerable groups. The group emphasized the need for unified efforts and expanded financial and technical support.
On the international front, the ministry held a coordination meeting with the Brazilian Minister of Social Development, discussing ways to enhance humanitarian interventions and support highly affected families in Gaza, especially pregnant women and children, through the Global Coalition Against Hunger. Dr. Hamad also met with the head of UNRWA’s West Bank office to discuss cash assistance programs and rent subsidies for displaced families in northern West Bank, stressing the need to integrate psychosocial support with financial aid.
In partnership with UNDP and with support from the German government, an orientation session was held to launch the Emergency Intervention Project for Affected Communities in Northern West Bank. The session explained implementation mechanisms and beneficiary selection criteria—focusing on vulnerable groups—and aimed to build economic resilience through interventions in Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm, Tubas, and Salfit.
In a UNICEF-led steering committee meeting, the ministry participated in evaluating the cash transfer program implemented in Gaza. Dr. Hamad noted that the evaluation is key to understanding the program’s real impact on beneficiaries, especially amid ongoing crises. The results will help guide the government’s planning for the next three years, especially regarding the type and scope of cash assistance targeting women, children, and persons with disabilities.
In the field of research and social policy, the minister joined a roundtable with the MAS Institute to discuss multidimensional poverty in Gaza, emphasizing the need for flexible, responsive tools and highlighting the ministry’s leadership of a 40-member emergency operations room for coordinated relief efforts.
Across regional directorates, the ministry’s field units continued service provision. In the northern West Bank, 538 food parcels were distributed to orphan-supporting families with support from Palestine Children's Relief Fund. In Nablus, the directorate hosted an extended meeting with nursery representatives and the Palestinian Vision organization to discuss infrastructure and licensing challenges. A task force was formed to follow up, and shopping vouchers were distributed to stranded women from Gaza. In Tubas, the directorate visited Al-Quds Open University to explore social work and economic empowerment cooperation, welcomed the Al-Far’a Camp emergency committee to coordinate family support, and joined the local employment council meeting to enhance labor market access.
In Jericho and the Jordan Valley, the Child Protection Network convened to coordinate efforts and plan summer camps and awareness programs. In Bethlehem, the shelter monitoring committee continued its visits, while the directorate collaborated with ANERA on economic initiatives for female breadwinners and organized a training session for charities on using the unified electronic aid portal. In Jerusalem, the directorate received the second batch of aid from the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund for needy families in Al-Ram and southeastern areas, and held a free medical day for children with physical and intellectual disabilities in partnership with Princess Basma Foundation, offering evaluation and referral services.
In Yatta, the directorate participated in honoring institutions involved in the “Green Jobs” initiative, which promotes environmentally sustainable employment. The Tubas directorate also conducted a field visit to the Wadi Al-Far’a village council to strengthen collaboration and support development and poverty-reduction efforts.
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