MoSD Visits Qalandiya Refugee Camp, Reaffirms Commitment to Supporting Camps and Bolstering Citizen Resilience in Jerusalem Governorate

Qalandiya – In a field visit underscoring the priority of supporting refugee camps and reinforcing the resilience of displaced communities, Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, Dr. Samah Hamad, visited Qalandiya Refugee Camp north of Jerusalem. She was accompanied by Deputy Minister Mr. Taha Al-Irani, Assistant Deputy Mr. Akram Al-Hafi, and a delegation of senior officials from the Ministry.

The visit aimed to assess the status of social services and strengthen response mechanisms amid escalating field challenges. Dr. Hamad was received by Mr. Sami Al-Kasbah, head of the Qalandiya Camp Popular Committee; Mr. Mahmoud Al-Sheikh, head of the Shu’fat Camp Popular Committee; Mr. Zakaria Fayyala, Director of the Jerusalem Governorate Office; Mr. Mazeed Muteir, Director of UNRWA Institutions in Qalandiya; and Mr. Nasser Sharay’a, Director of the Refugee Affairs Department—alongside representatives of local institutions and camp organizations.

Dr. Hamad emphasized that the Ministry operates within a national vision to support refugee steadfastness in the camps, despite ongoing Israeli fiscal deductions and restrictions. She noted that the Ministry has continued delivering services in Gaza through the government’s emergency operations room, despite limited international aid. Stressing the importance of local community support, she encouraged associations and institutions in the camps to apply for service procurement programs and solar energy projects. She affirmed the Ministry’s dedication to strengthening the social protection system through partnerships with all segments of society, with a focus on empowering adolescents and youth in the coming period.

Mr. Mohammad Aslan welcomed the Minister and her delegation, describing Qalandiya Camp as the first line of defense for Jerusalem. He warned against Israeli attempts to erase the camp’s identity by converting it into a regular urban neighborhood and reaffirmed UNRWA’s symbolic and legal role in defending the right of return and the refugee identity.

Mr. Al-Sheikh spoke about the dire conditions in the besieged Shu’fat Camp, highlighting daily raids, school closures, and the rising number of child detainees. He stressed the acute shortages in basic services like water and electricity and called for tangible interventions to support the camp’s resilience, rather than symbolic gestures.

Mr. Mazeed Muteir outlined UNRWA’s severe funding crisis and the growing number of impoverished families left without aid. He urged the Ministry to broaden its outreach to fill critical gaps in social protection.

Mr. Zakaria Fayyala emphasized the value of continued partnership with the Ministry, describing it as a genuine support system for refugees during these difficult times. He also underscored the importance of including marginalized groups in the camps within a compassion-driven approach.

Mr. Nasser Sharay’a stressed that targeting the refugee camps is an attack on the core of the Palestinian cause. He warned of attempts to simultaneously dismantle both UNRWA and the camp system and called for united efforts across official and community levels to protect the identity of the camps and support refugee resilience.

Dr. Hamad concluded her visit with a tour of the Women’s Center in Qalandiya Camp, affirming the importance of supporting local community institutions as a fundamental component of the refugee social protection framework.