MoSD on the Occasion of the International Day of Older Persons

This year, and for the second consecutive year, the International Day of Older Persons comes amid tragic circumstances endured by the Palestinian people, as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the escalating violations in the West Bank. Older persons, internationally defined as individuals aged 60 years and above, are paying a heavy price with their lives, health, and dignity. The suffering they experienced last year continues, and has in fact intensified with the ongoing bombardment, destruction, and forced displacement in Gaza, alongside the expansion of assaults and repressive measures in the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, older persons face martyrdom, injury, forced displacement, and the absence of healthcare, as care centers and hospitals are destroyed and medicines and medical equipment are unavailable. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health documented by the United Nations (OCHA), at least 3,447 older men and women were martyred as of 7 October 2024 among those whose identities were confirmed. More recent figures, up to July 2025, indicate that the number of older persons martyred has risen to more than 43,000.

In the West Bank, older persons are subjected to policies of collective punishment, closures with iron gates and military checkpoints, as well as raids and settler attacks that deprive them of access to their lands and essential health and social services, making their daily reality harsher and more complicated.

The Ministry emphasized that caring for older persons and ensuring them a dignified life is a national and moral duty. Despite the challenges, and in partnership with governmental, civil society, and international institutions, the Ministry has continued to provide its services. Over the past year, the Ministry’s interventions included the regular disbursement of cash assistance to around 41,000 poor and ill older persons; the provision of institutional care at Beit Al-Ajdad Center in Jericho and through partner institutions; the delivery of day-care services, home-based care, and medical assistive devices; as well as psychological and social support services, and awareness programs addressing their economic, social, and health rights.

The Ministry is currently working to expand the scope of its services for older persons by increasing the number of centers that provide day-care and home-based care, ensuring broader coverage across the country to facilitate access and deliver services more comprehensively and effectively. This is being carried out in cooperation with civil society organizations and local government bodies.

Respecting older persons is a societal obligation and a cornerstone of social solidarity. They deserve recognition for their roles and contributions throughout their lives. Citizens have a responsibility to treat them with dignity and respect, while benefiting from their knowledge and experiences, which reinforces the values of solidarity and cohesion within society.

In conclusion, the Ministry stressed that this day represents an opportunity to highlight the suffering of older persons and to renew commitment towards them, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities in protecting them, ensuring their access to basic services, and holding the occupation accountable for its crimes against them. The Ministry affirmed that older persons in Palestine will remain a symbol of loyalty, resilience, and dignity.